those that are Substantially Moral as before in this Case alas this Levite was too Circumstantial in main Substantials and he was too Substantial in mere circumstantials 2. He is one that can rest in any Form of Prayer not finding it too narrow for his own narrow Heart though various Dispensations of God be upon him which calls him to vary his Petitions to God in Prayer alas this Pinioning the Wings of the Dove the Spirit of God Mat. 3.16 can never prove a Salve broad enough for every Sore 3. He is one that thinks it not enough to live in Duty as all ought to do but he must live of and upon Duty never looking to find a living Christ in dead Duties without him alas this is to live in Golgotha that place of Skulls Matth. 27.33 and to have a Dwelling among the Tombs with the Demoniack Mar. 5.3.4 He is one that sits down and rises up constantly with a cold frame of Heart in Religious Duties his Heart never burns within him nay it is not so much as watm at any time because Christ talks not with him in the way of his Duty as Luke 24.32 he is a stranger to that Spirit of Burning Isa 4.4 Alas he is like Noah's unclean Creatures that went into the Ark unclean and came cut again unclean The word of God hath no Sanctifying Work upon his Heart according to Christs Prayer John 17.17.5 He is one that Serves God for Self-Ends only he rather serves himself of God as Zech. 7.5 6. and follows our Lord more for his Loaves than for any love to himself John 6.26 he cannot say with Nazianzen Jesus Diligitur propter Jesum I love Jesus for Jesus sake c. 6. He is one that Serves God slightly rendring to him labia vitulorum non vitulos labiorum the Lips of their calves only and not the Calves of their Lips Hos 14.2 he Sacrifices flesh only Hos 8.13 he serves not God with his Spirit Rom. 1.9 he gives only the dry Hony-Comb not as the Spouse did filled with the Hony Cant. 5.1 he considers not how such are Cursed that doth the Work of the Lord negligently or deceitfully Jerem. 48.10 Thus he doth but cut off a Dogs Neck c. Isa 66.3.7 He is one that will stint and limit himself both in his Knowledge and in his Practice he dare not be too precise but saith with Jeroboam it is too much to go up to Jerusalem 1 Kin. 12.28 he may not be Righteous or Religious over-much Eccles 7.16 So while he is now so Luke-warm in Religion he soon becomes stone-cold in Irreligion so as the Candle he goes out in a stink 2 Pet. 2.20 Enquiry the Third Why is this Formal Holiness so Defective and Insufficient Answer the 1st Reason is This kind of Holiness flows from a failing Fountain and stands upon a Sandy Foundation namely a common Conviction without a special Conversion Some indeed do under the Preaching of the Gospel hear a noise of Christ but they hear not the Voice of Christ as those with Paul saw the Light but heard not Christ Act. 9.7 and 22.9 Some may be Enlightned and tast of the good Word of God Hebr 6.4 5. as Cooks tast of their Masters Sawces but lets none go down to nourish them and some may receive the Knowledge of the Truth Hebr. 10.26 so far as to reform the Life outwardly but not so far as to renew the Life Inwardly Eph. 4.23 this bare Tast in the Palate reacheth not to Nourish and Strengthen any Spiritual Life in the Hidden Man of the Heart 1 Pet. 3.4 Therefore in a little time it dwindles into nothing The 2d Reason is God is a Spirit and will be Worshipped in Spirit as opposed to Formality and in Truth as opposed to Hypocrisie the Father seeks out such Spiritual Worshippers John 4.23 24. God loveth best what is most like himself like loves like saith the Proverb but seeing a Formal Profession hath so little likeness to God God hath as little love for it therefore as it cannot please God so nor can it save Man c. we must serve God with our Spirits Rom. 1.9 The 3d Reason is This Formal Holiness is at the best but Body Obedience there is nothing of the Soul in it so 't is but a Dead Carcase and therefore an Abomination to the Lord Prov. 15.8 whereas we ought to offer up unto God a living Sacrifice Rom. 12.1 The Prophet professeth that the Lord will not accept of the Fruit of the Body for the Sin of the Soul c. Mic. 6 ver 6 7. Nay the Travel of Mans Soul though never so Sollicitous in serving God can save him no more than the labour of his Body It cost more to Redeem and Ransom lost Man Ps 49.7 8. God must behold the Travel of Christs Soul before his Justice can be satisfied Isa 53.11 and Christ is the Master of Requests also Hebr. 7.25 and 9.24 none of our Prayers can come with acceptance upon Gods Altar untill perfumed with the Odours of his Merit Revel 5.8 and 8.3 N.B. Note well Alas a Formalist may cry too late something like Martha c. Oh thou power of Godliness hadst thou been here my Soul had not dyed c. God may Damn Men for the very failures of their Duty Rom. 3.23 and Luke 17.10 we stand in as much need of the Grace of God to Pardon our Duties as we do of the Blood of Christ to Pardon our sins Duties are but Insignificant Cyphers without Christ the Numerical Figure yet Duty 's must be done by the Redeemed for the very end of our Redemption is that we may serve our Redeemer without fear in Holiness and Righteousness all the Days of our Life Luke 1.74 75. and being bought with a price therefore must we glorisie God both with our Bodies and with our Spirits for they are Gods 1 Cor. 6.20 both Christ and Duty are Beautiful in their proper places Christ must sit upon the Throne and Duty 's as his Train must fill the Temple Isa 6.1 we may not so Eye Duty 's as to wrong Christ nor so look upon Christ as altogether to thrust out Duties Duties are good Evidences but they are bad Saviours Paul is said to suffer the loss of his Duties but how non quoad Substantiam sed quoad Qualitatem officium Justificandi not as to their substance but only as to their Quality and Means of Justifying him Phil. 3.8 9. That is he did not depend upon them for his Justification as he had done before though the Formal professor doth rest in Opere operato in Duty done yet may not we rest from doing Duty for we are not yet come to our Rest Deut. 12.9 but we must be Obedient both in Word and Deed Rom. 15.18 The Apples of Gods Comfort Cant. 2.5 grow not on the Root Christ but on the Branches to wit Duties The last part of this Parable begins with a famous But ver 33 34
Stephen spake more than this while he saw Heaven through a shower of stones yet this was the sum of all The like Lesson learnt learned Luther whose last Prayer was this My Heavenly Father thou hast manifested Christ to me I have known him and taught him and love him as my life now draw my Soul to thy self I commend my Spirit into thy hands thou hast redeemed me O God of truth c. The like Lesson learnt most of the Holy Martyrs according to the Divine Counsel of 1 Pet. 4.19 Committing the keeping of their Souls as a most precious Depositum unto God as unto a faithful Creator who will rather unmake all by his Creating power than that any Soul which he hath given to Christ should be marr'd or miscarry Our Saviour committed his Soul to God both in his life 1 Pet. 2.23 and at his death Luk. 23.46 But what a wretch was that Huberus who dyed with those wicked words in his mouth I yield my goods to the King my Body to the grave and my Soul to the Devil On the contrary this hath always been the comfort of Dying Saints that they are assured Christ Jesus who dyed for them shall at their dissolutions receive their Souls into his safe and blessed custody to live with him who is the life and the God of the living Christ gave it as a Cordial to the penitent Thief dying with him on the Cross This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise Luk. 23.43 which was an answer to the penitents Prayer v. 42. Lord when thou comest into thy glory receive my Soul as one of thine into thy mercy and this is the double priviledge of every true Believer that they are born upon the wings of Prayer into every condition good for them while they live and that their Souls are born upon the wings of Angels into Abrahams bosome when they dye as Lazarus's Soul was Luk. 16.22 As the Palsey-man was let down in his Couch through the roof of the house by his loving Relations before Jesus Luk. 5.13 so is every good Soul taken up in an Heavenly Charet through the roof of his house and carried into Christs presence by these Heavenly Courtiers the Angels conveys it safe through the Air which is the Devils Territories as he is Prince of the Air Eph. 2.3 Not unlike as Gods Host the Angels conducted Jacob through all his dangers Gen. 32.1 2. 48.16 The Angels met Jacob as Servants meet their Masters or as Nurses meet their Nurse-Children The great King of Heaven commits his Children to the Tuition of Angels while they liâ—e Psal 91.11 They bare them all that time as the Nurses doth the Babes in their bosome always ready to secure them from the roaring Lyon that rangeth up and down to devour them they do fight for them in battle-aray against all their Enemies Dan. 10.20 and pitch their tents round about them night and day Psal 34.8 Then when the Nurse-Children come to be weaned and drawn off from the world their work there being done that their Father gave them to do Joh. 17.3 the Angels those Nurses carries them home at their Fathers command to their Fathers house through their Enemies Country into Abrahams bosome so that all Gods Children may call Death as Jacob did the place where he met the Angels Mahanaim because there the Angels do meet them as their Convoy when they dye securing their Souls from all those Pyrats the Devil's that would both intercept and despoil them yea safely transporting them into the Cape of Good Hope and into the Fair Haven of Everlasting Happiness 2ly More particularly the Soul of Man hath a manifold Excellency as 1. It hath a most Noble Original when the Lord God had made up Mans Body as the Potter furnisheth up his Vessel out of the Clay then he animated it by inspiring into it a living and Rational Soul or Spirit The Soul of Man is not deduced or derived out of any power in the matter of the Body nor made of any matter at all as his Body was and as the Soul of a Beast is which Solomon observeth as much differing the one from the other Eccles 3.21 but it is a Spirit Immaterial and Immortal so had its immediate Original from the Father of Spirits God who is a Spirit gave this Spirit or Soul to the Body by way of Infusion Superslation or Breathing upon it as out of his mouth that he might make him a perfect man consisting of an Earthly body and of an Heavenly Soul God indeed made the Brutes living Creatures but 't is not said that he breathed upon them the breath of life as he did upon Man Gen. 2.7 God Created the Souls of Beasts together with their Bodies out of those humours and vital Spirits which do exist in them and those humours corrupting that Spirit or Soul of Beasts which is but a vapour corrupteth also and perisheth but he made Man a more noble Creature than Beasts in two respects 1. In his Body erected to look up with our Eyes to Heaven 2. In his Soul not arising out of the Humours of the Body but infused from without even from God himself hence is he call'd the God of Spirits Zech. 12.1 Job 33.4 Num. 16.22 27.16 and this Spirit does not dye with the Body as that of Beasts doth but is separable from the Body and returns to God that gave it Eccles 3.21 12.7 to receive its doom from him either good or evil God is the Maker of Souls Isa 57.10 42.5 Jer. 38.16 2ly The Soul hath a most noble Nature as before insomuch that it was an old and an odd opinion that there was a Deity in it this was long since exploded for Heterodox by the Orthodox Aristotle Natures Secretary judged it a Divine thing however this is certain the Soul as to Matter is more excellent than the Heavens and as to Nature not inferiour to Angels 't is of such a Noble Nature that it is of near Allyance to the Divine Nature from whence it cometh 'T is a question in Philosophy whether a Fly be a more noble Creature than the Sun and 't is concluded in the Affirmative upon this ground because the Fly is an Animate thing the Sun is Inanimate and that which hath life in it must needs be more noble than that which hath it not though otherwise never so glittering and glorious 't is also disputed among Philosophers whether one Star be not of a more noble nature than the whole Globe of the Earth and this also is granted seeing Coelestiaâ— Matter must needs be better than the Terrestrial which was but the dregs of the first Chaos How much more noble Nature is the Soul then of 3ly The Soul hath the most Noble Rank in the whole Creation God hath placed the Soul among all his other Creatures in the noblest condition it was the Soul that God gave dominion overall the works of his hands unto All
Works hath a double respect The 1. Respecting Gods part ma the 2. Respecting Man 's As it 1. Respects God who is Unchangeable so that Covenant must in some sense be Unchangeable also to wit in the substantial part of it which is as Unchangeable as Gods Justice by this all the Sons of Adam that do not Believe are Condemned and by this Christ was brought from Heaven to be made under the Curse of that Covenant Gal. 3 13. that he might fufil it for all that Believe in him 2. As it Respects Mans part so it is Changeable as to its accomplishment by Man with whom it was made it being not built upon Gods Unchangeable purpose within himself that it should stand for ever in that first Paradise Dispensation and not be changed but it was left to the Liberty and Free Will of Man either to keep it or break it as he himself best pleased God neither purposed nor promised to give Adam any additional Grace of influence whereby he should be caused to keep this first Covenant as he doth in the second Covenant but only Life is promis'd him on condition of his obedience by that Grace he was created with That God never intended the first Covenant Dispensation in Paradise to stand for ever is evident three ways 1. The Scripture saith nothing of Adam after his Fall save only his begetting of Children and of his Dying but little of his Life and as little of the Place of Paradise where it was is not well known which intimates God had a farther design to lay aside that first Law-Dispensation and to set up the Covenant of Grace given therefore to Adam in Paradise immediately after his Fall 2. God no where saith that he would be the God of Adam as he oft saith the God of Abraham for in the first Covenant he was to win this Honour by his Obedience and so to wear it This Royal Charter thus dated expired at his Disobedience God the Creator never said he would be Adam's God in the first Covenant so as to grant him influences to obey and to obey to the end as was to him and to us by God the Redeemer in the Covenant of Grace Ezek. 36.27 Deut. 30.6 Jer. 32.39 40. c. The 3. Evidence is The Lord did purposely give Adam that positive Law of prohibiting his Eating the Fruit upon pain of Death and did purposely suffer the Serpent to tempt him although he foresaw the Tempter would Master the Tempted All this was a Divine design to have the first Covenant abolished and then to deal with faln Man in the Dispensation of a better Covenant They first Covenant gave way for the Theatre of Grace to be Acted in the second to be short the Law Covenant is abolished not only the Ceremonial Law under which the Galatians were not but also the curse of the Moral Law in sundry Respects 1. It remains not for Justification for no Man is justified by the Law in the sight of God Gal. 3.11 for the Law promiseth Life only on condition of compleat Obedience and this is not to be found in any Man save in the Man Christ Jesus 2. It remains not for Condemnation for Christ is the end of the Law for Righteousness and he Redeemeth us from the curse of it so that there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus Rom. 8.1 A Believers first Husband as to judging and condemning him is Dead and if he to wit the Law Covenant will he cursing and condemning any one in Christ that soul may say Uxori lis non intenditur the Law cannot commence a Suite against a Wife under Covert Baron I am Married to Christ Go Sue my Husband Rom. 7.2 3 4. Nor 3. Doth it remain in its commanding any more than in its condemning Power as it hath lost its Damning so its Domineering Authority Thus the Apostle argues Ye are not under the Law but under Grace that is not under the First but under the Second Covenant you are not under the Rigour and Irritation under the Curse and Coaction of the Law as Slaves under a Tyrant forcibly provoking or Compelling and Cursing you by Vertue of Sin therefore saith he sin shall not have dominion over you Rom. 6.14 rebel it may but reign it shall not in any under the Covenant of Grace Sin may have a Being and also a Dwelling in a truely Believing Soul but like those Beasts in Dan. 7.12 hath its Dominion taken away though its Life be prolong'd for a Time and a Season Although it be dejected from its regency yet it is not ejected from its inherency By this Men may know under what Covenant they live If you be led by the Spirit as your Tutor into all goodness righteousness and truth Eph. 5.9 and fetching you home from all your outstrays you are not under the Law or Covenant of Works Gal. 5.18 but are Sons of God Rom. 8.14 and have received the Spirit of Sonship or Adoption Gal. 4.6 Rom. 8.13 15. mortifying the Flesh c. Thus the Law as a Covenant Christ becoming sin for us and a curse for us and satisfying for all that ever the first Covenant required of us in our stead and as our Surety hath taken out of the way and Nail'd it to his Cross with the same Nails wherewith himself was Nailed Col 2.14 So we are dead to the Law and it is dead to us by the Body of Christ Rom. 7.4 his Body bearing our sins upon the Tree 1 Pet. 2.24 So that now 't is only the Rule of all Righteousness in the Hand of a Mediator Gal. 3.19 and in the Hand of his Spirit also Rom. 7.9 and 8.9 without which subserviency the Law is but a dead and a killing Letter 2 Cor. 3.6 when Christ is not the Writer his Spirit the Ink and Mans Heart is the Table whereon it is written by the Finger of God Rom. 2.15 and 6.17 and Heb. 8.10 To have the Law from which is our only fear a Servant to the Gospel is our great comfort now through the over-ruling Grace of the second Covenant the Law Covenant is become David's delight Psal 119.92 And Oh how he loved Gods Law ver 97. as his Rule and Counsellor ver 24. above Gold ver 127. yea as his Comforter against the sting of Death which is Sin and against the strength of Sin which is the Law not made by the purchase of Christ subservient to the Gospel 1 Cor. 15.56 57. where Blessed Paul Christs chief Herauld proclaims Victory over Sin and Death with a World of Solemnity and Triumph through Christ who had disarm'd Death and unsting'd Sin by satisfying the curse of the Law as he hath taken away not Sin it self but the Guilt of it so not Death it self but the Sting of it it may now be safely put into our Bosoms How the second Covenant is Everlasting though the first be abolished both à parte ante and à parte post will
and my Judgment-Hall which consisted at least of Three So by we is meant in the Hebrew succinct Speech God Three in One and One in Three Opera Trinitatis ad extra sunt indivisa All the Three Persons are undivided all concur in External Actions Hermes that antient Aegyptian who flourished before Pharaoh did acknowledge something of this Great Truth from whence he had his Name of Trismegistus for owning the Three great ones And the Heathen Sages after him had some blind Notions hereof as appeareth by Plutarch who reporteth that in Thebe a Town of Aegypt they worshipped a God whom they acknowledged to be Immortal and painted him in the likeness of a man blowing an Egg out of his mouth to signifie that he made the round World by his Word and Breath of his Mouth But Christian Faith reacheth farther than Heathens Reason for by Faith we understand that the World was made by the Word of God Heb. 11.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by Christ who is the Essential Word and the flowings forth as the word signifies or lettings out of Divine Wisdâ—â— Power and Goodness for God was as it were contracted and contained all within himself from all Eternity but now in the Creation he becomes Deus expansus explicatus letting out himself to the Creature Thus Christ is called the Manifestation of God and the Declarer of the Father Joh. 1.18 John Baptist is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a voice but Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word by which the world was made As Verbum est animi Index the Speech discovers the Spirit so Christ unbosoms the Father and the Creation is nothing else but the Creator unfolding himself and dispersing his Divine Essence into several Veins and Channels of the Creature Mundus Vniversus nihil aliud est quà m Deus Explicatus the world is onely God expressed the Invisible is clearly seen as in a Mirrour or on a Theater in things that are visible Rom. 1.19 20. as the Sun is beheld in the waters so is God in his works either by way of Negation Causality or Eminence per species Creaturea The second Enquiry is What is the Material Cause out of which all things were Created Answ God made something out of nothing and out of that something all things Nothing here is not taken privatively as 1 Cor. 8.4 an Idol is nothing to wit privatively as having nothing of a Divine Essence in it yet positively it is something that is Wood or Stone c. Nor 2. is it taken Comparatively as Isa 40.17 All the world is nothing to wit in comparison of the Great God But 3. 't is taken negatively and simply God having no praeexisting matter to work upon as the word Bara created signifies being a word in its proper sense proper and peculiar to God himself so should not be parasitically Attributed to the mightiest of men as too oft it is in Creating Earls Marquesses Dukes unless the Creators and the Created were both holy as God is and Man was There was nothing from Eternity besides God neither is God the Matter or any part of the Creature therefore the world was made out of nothing This puts the difference betwixt Creation and Generation this latter is a production of something out of something but the former of something out of nothing There be three principal Operators Art Nature and God That worker which needeth the fewest helps is the most perfect worker 1. Art needs many helps 2. Nature needs but few But 3. God needeth none at all God is the first Cause and the World was the first effect 'T is a Rule or Maxime Inter primam Causam primum effectum nil intervenit Nothing can come between the first Cause and the first effect therefore in the Creation there could neither be any praeexisting Matter nor any Coassisting Instruments God himself was both the Father and Mother of all Created Beings God was the Father of the World begetting it by his Word and both bringing it out and bringing it up in six days by the overshadowings of the Spirit Gen. 1.2 All this arises from the Efficiency of God who is a most pure Act and is Omnipotency it self is there any thing too hard for the Lord Gen. 18.14 Job knew that God could do every thing Job 42.2 All things but Lying Dying and denying himself are possible with God Matth. 19.26 his counsel shall stand and he will do all his pleasure Isa 46.10 What God pleaseth to do without all peradventure he is able to do as he is Omnipotent yet may we not argue from his power to his will but from his will to his power Though God be Omniscient Omnipresent and Omnipotent yet is he not Omnivolent he can do more than he will do he can do whatsoever he pleaseth yet he is not pleased to do whatsoever he can God by his Absolute power is able to do all things that are possible though he never do them he can by this unlimited power make a World and unmake it again in a moment he can of stones raise up Children to Abraham Matth. 3.9 c. but by his actual and ordinate power he doth that onely which he willeth to do whatsoever he willeth that he doth both in Heaven and Earth Psal 115.3 135.6 This power God hath limited by his own will wisdom and having freely limited himself according to his own Decree of Secret will and according to his word or revealed will he changeth not because he is unchangeable Jam. 1.17 Some things God can and will not as Matth. 3.9 26.53 Rom. 9.18 c. And some things God neither will nor can to wit such as contradict his Essence and import Impotency 't is safer to say such things cannot be done than that God cannot do them but whatsoever he willeth that he without impediment effecteth as he did the Creation of the world out of nothing Why therefore should it be thought a thing incredible either that God should raise the dead to life Act. 26.8 or that God should make world of nothing 'T is a received rule Quicquid est in Deo est Deus whatsoever is in God is God and so is that Esse posse operari non distinguuntur in Deo Gods Essâ—nce Omnipotency and Efficiency are not to be distinguished in God save only as to our capacity Divine Essence being Almighty and a most pure act doth necessarily infer a Divine Efficiency which made the world of nothing the word of signifying not any Matter but only Order Creation was in Matter but not of Matter not of Matter praeexisting before but of Matter coexisting in the act of Creation The first Matter God made out of nothing was that Rudis indigestáque Moles called the confused Chaos a rude Draught and an undigested lump at the first as the Matter of all things that were afterwards to be Created This first Matter was all things in power yet nothing in act this
his workmanship it must needs be a complete piece of work which came out of the skilful hands of the most Wise God as is said before of the Body Their Stature proportion their feature lineaments were all yea altogether lovely Cant. 5.16 Their Voices were sweet and their Countenances were comely Cant. 2.14 seeing since the Fall such a dazling splendour and bewitching Beauty remains still in some of the Sons and Daughters of men Assuredly the Image of God who is Beauty and loveliness it self did shine forth in their Bodies as well as in their Souls and even while they were naked they were Clothed with Majesty and Glory Psal 8.5 6. yea their nakedness made them not ashamed Gen. 2.25 There was then no need of shame for sin and shame came in both together and there was as little need of Cloathing then for their Bodys being then glorious the bravest Apparel would but have been as a cloud that darkens the shining Sun or as a black mask which covers a most beautiful face undoubtedly they had both that goodly Gracefulness presence and personage as to be not onely most delightful companions each to other but also capable of communion with the Holy Angels to whom they were made but a little inferiour Psal 8.5 yea and with the Holy God himself who rejoiced in the habitable part of his Earth and took much complacency in the work of is own hands Prov. 8.30 31. Adam more than Enoch and Abraham c. walked Arm in Arm with God The 2. External endowment God gave them was the place of their Habitation in Paradise Gen. 2.8 15. God did not build them any Marble monument there or an Ivory Pallace to dwell in such as the Luxury of men in the faln estate hath framed for themselves as that none-such Sinner Ahab built for himself 1 Kin. 22.39 but God planted them a Garden or Orchard choicely furnished with all manner of delicate fruits and hedged round about wherein they might have lived in a condition of Dignity and delectation without the least impairing of their Health and strength for a thousand years yet it being but an earthly place or a Terrestrial Paradise thereby they were admonished not onely of frugality and modesty but also that there was a better place even a Caetestial Paradise into which they should have without tasting Death been translated no doubt but the whole Earth was exceeding pleasant and fruitful as a Garden before the Sin of Man brought upon it the Curse of God Gen. 3.17 yet so kind so good was God to Adam that he planted a Paradise for him wherein he had an affluence and confluence of all good things to make him happy hence it is called the Garden of Jehovah Gen. 13.10 and of Eden which in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth signify Pleasure and this place of pleasure and pleasantness was by was of eminency the Glory of all Lands Ezek. 20 6â— That Paradise was a most pleasant place is demonstrated by those few following Arguments As first from that large description and commendation of it by the Holy Ghost himself in Moses his Pen-man Gen. 2. from v. 8. to v. 16. 2. from its being made a Type of the third Heaven and synonymical with it Luke 23.43 2 Cor. 12.3 4. Revel 2.7 3. from that aggravation of the evil that is put upon their expulsion out of Paradise if it were so great an evil to be banished himself and all his posterity out of this Pleasant place and to have the Garden-door locked against him yea and Guarded also by a Cherubim with a flaming sword Gen. 3.22 23 24. this is a clear evidence that some great good was lost thereby 4. from the restitution of the true Paradise unto faln man by Christ which is a most unspeakable good the first Adam shut Paradise the second Adam opened it by the Key of his Cross or Cross-key and he quenched the flames of that flaming sword which Guarded the Door by powring upon it his meritorious Bloud paving thereby a new and living way to that Paradise which is above Hebr. 10.20 18. herein also the transcendent goodness of God to man is marvelously manifest that God should upon the third day of the Creation when he made the Trees plant a Paradise for mans pleasure before Man was Created which was not until the sixth day Man was made out of paradise on that day and then God took man by the hand and led him into Paradise to take possession of it as the Angel led Lot out of Sodom by the hand for a dispossession Gen. 2.15 19 16. God made not Paradise for the Beasts to spoil but for man to dress which he did as without necessity so without either pains or weariness 't was rather his Recreation than his Occupation his labour was then as an Ordinance but after inflicted as a Punishment Gen. 3.19 This place of delight was prepared for man before it was conferred upon him yea before he was that he might live a life of pleasure there How much greater is Gods goodness unto Adams Posterity who are given to Christ for whom both a life of Grace and a life of Glory is prepared not onely long before they were born but also before the foundation of the World 2 Tim 1.9 Tit. 1.2 c. All those things do teach us these truths 1. That God hath a right Fatherly care of his creatures thus to make provisions for them before they be created 2. that all opinion of merit is hereby overthrown for Adam could not merit this Earthly Paradise before he was made nor we the Heavenly one 3. God led Adam into Paradise that he might know he held it not as Lord of it but as Gods Husband-man and his Tenant at will so long as he behaved himself well which if he forfeited by doing ill he could have no just cause to complain for Gods banishing him out of it who had given it him so freely and so kindly led him into it 4. that Earthly Paradises be not Mans home and Countrey here no abiding City Hebr. 11.10 16. The 3. External favour God gave them was their Dominion over all Creatures Gen. 1.26 28. subdue the Earth and have Dominion c. God made man the supreme Lord of all created things here below all creatures are mans Servants and Houshouldstuffâ—â— God put all things under mans feet as so many stirrops or steps of a Stair-case that Man might raise up himself thereby unto God his Maker David celebrates Gods praise for giving this Dominion over all to Man Psal 8.5 6 20. All things are made for Man and Man is made for God to know and acknowledge him And while Man did so all things also did own and acknowledge Man as their Lord and Soveraign Adam exercised the Centurions Authority Luke 7.8 when all Creatures did come to him for Names and go from him when named Gen. 2.19 All then did reverence Man and were ready to come
his fat and Cain was a wicked one 1 Joh. 3.12 And said he would not give God his fat but his lean his Service was superficial only feigned service his heart was not in his work as afterwards So it was rejected but Abel serv'd God with the best of his flock and with the best of his heart too so found Acceptance with the Lord. Hence may be inferred 1. None must rest in External acts of Worship a man may be a worshiper of God with outward worship yet be a wicked man as Cain was 2. The families of good men may have in them bad worshippers Adam had his wicked Cain Noah his cursed Cham Abraham his scoffing Ishmael and Isaac his profane Esau yea our blessed redeemer had the Devil Judas in their families This Apology Augustin made to qualifie a foul fault committed in his Family saying Nescio quo evadam c. I know not how to shift it off I pray instruct c. in my family yet must I not expect my house better than those holy Patriarks or my Lord and Master himself The third Inference is That there will he close Hypocrites in the Church of God as well as in our houses some that say they are Jews but are not the Angel of the Church doth find them Lyars Rev. 2.9 Some mens sins go before hand to Judgment and some mens sins follow after 1 Tim. 5.24 'T is not improbable but that Cain might live long in a form of worshipping God in his Fathers house before he was discovered at this sacrifice to be an Hypocrite 'T was long ere Judas was discover'd for an Hypocrite in Christ the second Adams Family So it might be with Cain in that of the first Adam tares will be among the Wheat But 3. Moses records this History to declare the Disagreements and Contentions that do arise about Religion in the World We find here that Abels religion was approved but Cains was disapproved this breeds such a difference and occasions such a Quarrel aâ— could not be carry'd off without Blood This Difference of Religion did break out into Murder Hence may he Inferred 1. That Quarrels about religion are the greatest Quarrels in the World according to Luthers saying Odia religiosorum sunt acerbissima the Dissentions about Religion are the most irreconcileable dissentions and according to Christs saying There shall be five in one house divided three against two and two against three he came not to send Peace but rather division Luk. 12.51 52 53. Not as if the Gospel of Peace did of it self kindle any fires v. 49. But this falls out by the Strength of mans corruption and becomes thereby an accidental thing as the Sun melts Wax but hardens Clay It draws forth the fragrancies of many sweet Flowers yet doth it make the Dunghil to Stink abominably Oh how did the Aegyptians abhor the Israelites for their worshipping of God in a differing manner from their Worship Exod. 8.26 And how did Jezabel swear Elijahs Death for his opposing her worship of Baal 1 Kin. 19.1 2. Oh what Bloody Persecutions were there in the primitive times of the Gospel not only from the Heathen worshippers against Christians but also from the Arrians against the Orthodox in the time of Athanasius whose life they uncessantly sought by many forged falshoods Oh what animosities arose betwixt the Mother and the Son to wit Constantinus Copronymus and his Mother Irene about worshipping of Images insomuch that the Son depos'd the Mother and the Mother bereaved the Son both of his Eyes and of his Empire she put out her Sons Eyes and cast him into Prison where he died for grief So lost his Life as well as sight and Crown The 2. Inference is This affordeth us the clear and true Character of the True Religion from the false Outrage and Cruelty is the Black Brand wherewith Gods Word Stigmatizeth the false and formal Religion and here it begins shewing how Cain did most maliciously oppose Abel but Abel offered no affront at all to Cain for the Badge and Cognizance of true Religion is Meekness and Love Where the Power as well as the Form of Godliness is it teacheth to bless them that curse us and to pray for them that persecute us Luk. 6.28 Rom. 12.17 Whereas blind and Superstitious Zealots know no bounds in their rage against those that differ from them and oppose their superstitious fooleries Not to insist upon the ten primitive persecutions which arose from heathens men of an Heterogeneous and Different Profession but to instance only in two 1. The Followers of Arrius 2. The Followers of Antichrist both being beyond the Heathen as believing in the true God Yet 1. Such was the rage of the Arrians those Heterodox Christians against the Orthodox that they persecuted them to Death and devised many Hellish Stratagems to take away the Life of that Blessed Champion of the Truth Athanasius while he only oppos'd their Lying Doctrine in denying the Godhead of Christ 2. The Antichristians or Church of Rome have even outvy'd and out-done the Arrians in Barbarous and Bloody Butcheries as Ecclesiastical History does abundantly Testifie And Christs words hold true of them concerning their Descent and Parentage that they are the Children of them that kill'd the Prophets of a Viperous Generation Mat. 23.31 Yea their cursed cruelties against Righteous Abel's v. 35. do plainly proclaim to the World that they are Descended from Bloody Cain who was a Worshipper of God as well as good Abel yet was he a Worrier of his Godly Brother whose Devilish Spirit in them hath been Murdering their Innocent Brethren in all Places and Ages since the Rise and Reign of Antichrist and will be so doing until his Ruine That Whore of Rome is drunk with the Blood of Saints as I shew at large in my Antidote against Popery in that Title of the Romish Religion is a Bloody Religion To add no more here save only an Instance in those Scarlet Days of Queen Mary in our Land whose Reign did swim in a Sea of Blood How did her Popish Prelates even glut themselves in the Gore of poor Protestants and not only warming their blind Zeal with Burning the Bodies of the Living but Tyrannizing also over the Bones of the Dead as of Bucer and others which they took out of their Graves and Burnt them as if every Bone had been an Heretick into Ashes Whereas on the other hand Religion in Truth and Sincerity hath always been full of Mercy and when the true Church hath been in Misery by the malice of her Persecutors she hath not rose up in Rebellion against them but always accounted preces lachrymas her Prayers and Tears to be her best Weapons never falling upon her Adversaries with Fire and Faggot as they do upon her Thus we see three grand Reasons why Moses Records this History yet further Moses minds us herein of two great Truths 1. That every Man should have his particular Calling Cain himself was
be totally destroyed by the Deluge upon occasion and by the way only as the Relation thereof had an unavoidable connexion with the History of the Church and rendring it more compleat and conspicuous without any constant and contiguous course of its succession yea and the famous foundations of great Kingdoms such as of Assyria Egypt Greece c. together with the admirable atchievements of their puissant potentates are all passed over in silence though they be subjects which seem more meriting to be mention'd while other concerns of the Church which in appearance are of far less moment are so distinctly described as Jacobs pilling of the Rods c. that by the force of fancy with cogitations at the Sheeps conceptions but chiefly by the Blessing of God the Holy Patriarch might be enriched and churlish Laban impoverished Gen. 30.38 and Ruths Gleaning in Boaz field c. Ruth 2.3 where that vertuous Woman stooped to a mean yet honest employment which God made a remarkable step to her very high preferment so as though a Moabitess Damsel to become the great Grand-Mother of the Grand-Messiah yea and many such seemingly small matters of other Children of the Church are exactly set down in the sacred Register as matters of great importance as if God were like the Master of a family who doth not with so much delight regard his common fields abroad as he doth his dear family at home the speeches gestures and actions of his little ones he diligently and delightfully observeth so doth the great housholder God in his houshold of Faith he regardeth rewardeth and recordeth all the Motions Desires and Endeavours as well as Performances of his own Children within the Church even all the Hairs of their Head are numbred by him Mat. 10.30 c. while the famous exploits and conquests of Great Men who are not also Good Men that are without in the World are wholly neglected in Scripture Story The 3. Circumstance is the Age of life that Enoch lived the years that he lived in this lower World were exactly answerable to the days of a year to wit 365. As the number of so many days make up one compleat solar year so the like number of so many years made up this one Patriarchs life He was of the shortest life among all the Patriarchs living only so many years as there be days in the year each day for a year according to the prophetick computations and though Enoch was the shortest liver of all the six Patriarchs that were before him who all but one lived above nine hundred years yet this was recompenc'd to him in his Son Methuselah the next Patriarch who was the longest liver of them all and not only so but 't was more recompenc'd to himself for their time on Earth was his time in Heaven what he wanted in the Silver of a life natural he had it well paid him in the Gold of a life eternal so that not only the shortness of the Fathers life was made up in the long life of his Son but also God took him from a worse place to plant him into a better his translation was but Transplantation as it were out of Gods Kitchin-Garden into his heavenly Paradise Thus we see here on Earth those Northern Plants which are transplanted out of their cold Climate into a warmer Southern Soil find no Detriment but Advantage thereby and thrive the better How much more was it no loss but gain to Enoch to be translated out of the Veil of Tears this Wilderness of the World into Gods Garden of Coelestial Pleasures Yea further it was not only more for his own Benefit to be one of Gods Lilies gathered up by him Cant. 6.2 to be transplanted into Paradise but it was also more for the other Patriarchs comfort both against the Fears of Death and the frailties of life while they did survive him seeing in Enoch however the Death of Abel might discourage them they had a most evident demonstration that there was a reward for the Righteous Psal 58.11 and that it was not any lost labour to walk with God It appeareth in the best computations of Chronology that Adam died in the 308 year of Enoch's Life and in the 243 year of his Son Methuselah yea and in the 56 year of his Grand Child Lamech's Life so that Adam lived to see Lamech the ninth Generation who was the Father of Noah the tenth Patriarch before the Flood then the next after Adam's Death God ordered Enoch's Translation that those two great Truths might be taught thereby 1. Mortality by the former And 2. Immortality by the latter and 't is very remarkable that as no fewer than eight Patriarchs were alive as living Witnesses of Adams Death so no fewer than seven Patriarchs surviv'd to be living Witnesses of Enoch's Translation If it be asked how came men to be so long lived then that 365 years of Enoch was accounted but a short life I answer The Antediluvian Patriarchs or Fathers before the Flood had very long lives 1. From the good pleasure of God that mankind might be the sooner propagated that Arts and Sciences might be the better learnt and that the knowledge and worship of God might be the further transmitted even to their remotest Posterity 2. From a stronger constitution of Body 3. From their great temperance for some say they abstained both from Wine and Flesh Now plures pereunt gulá quam gladio Gluttony or Intemperance kills more than the Sword 4. From the vigorous Vertue of the Earth which then brought forth more wholsom fruit for after the Salt waters of the Sea in Noahs flood had overflown the Earth the saltness thereof had made it more barren and the growth out of it less nourishing 5. From the benign Aspect of the Stars which have a great Influence upon Mens Bodies 6. From that excellent Skill that Adam had from his Creation whereby he knew the nature of all things and communicated this to his Posterity for preserving their health for as Solomon he knew all things Notwithstanding this their Universal knowledge of natural things and their vast experience in an healthful improvement of those things yet none of those Patriarchs no not Methuselah himself lived out a thousand years which is a number of perfection that all of them might know the perfect state is not attainable here below there is another over curious reason mentioned by Irenaeus lib. 5. Adver Haeres That a thousand years are said to be but one day with God 2 Pet. 3.8 And but as Yesterday to him Psal 90.4 And because God would make his word good In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt die therefore not only Adam but all the other Patriarchs died within the thousand years so they all died in the first day as none of them lived out to begin a second thousand which would have been the beginning of a second day there seems more wit in this reason than weight and worth but a
forth at once Hand over Head this they did not but went out by pairs as the word imports without any disorder or confusion Gen. 8.19 This may serve to shame all the extravagancies in the World especially in the Church Yea 3. All must beware to be like those unclean Creatures in this as well as unlike in the other case to come in and go out from means of Grace both ways unclean as they did from the Ark what is this but to have seared Consciences Lastly Consider the Consequents after Noah's Egress NB. 1. He began the New World with Sacrifice Gen. 8.21 Beneficium postulat Officium Gods Mercy call'd for Mans Duty 'T is good to begin every new day with Duty to God for Mercy the Night before Joshua began his Wars which proved Conquests with Circumcision Josh 5.2 c. NB. 2. The Altar Noah Built was Erected say the Rabbins in the same place where Abel had Offer'd where Abraham did Offer and where the Temple Altar stood shewing that Christ is the standing Altar of all Ages and this Altar is one and the same in Type and Antitype Heb. 13.10 c. NB. 3. After this Sacrifice call'd Gnoloth or Ascensions God blessed all Creatures with an exceeding great Increase Gen. 8.17 so the Saints shall be blest at the glorious liberty promised Rom. 8.21 c. When they shall go forth then they shall grow up c. Mal. 4.2 NB. 4. After this also God enlarg'd Noah beyond the Fruits of the Earth to which Adam c. were confined to feed upon Flesh Gen. 9.3 for the preservation of him who had been their preserver all Creatures did owe their Lives to him and to all in him He had toiled hard to lay in provision for them now this was some Comfort to him and his concorning his Toil according to Gen. 5.29 that they might eat Flesh how much more is it to us that we may eat the Flesh of Christ which himself giveth us John 6.51 55. Alas our own Toil will not save us on this cursed Earth NB. 5. And Lastly Gods Covenanting with Noah though Man was evil only evil and continually evil Gen. 8.21 confirmed by the Rainbow Gen. 9.9 did prefigure the Spiritual and Eternal Covenant of peace by Christ with sinful Mankind Isa 54.8 9 10. Rev. 10.1 especially when fixed to a penitent Heart as the Rain-bow to a watery Cloud CHAP. X. The History and Mystery of Abrahams Tryals ABraham was first call'd Abâ—ram which signifieth an High Father he is after called Ab-ra-ham by putting some of the letters of Jehovah to the former which signifies the Father of a multitude hence is he named the Father of the Faithful Rom. 4.11 which made him an High Father indeed and he became the Father of a multitude not only of the Jews but of the Gentiles also v. 12. for the Blessing of Abraham came upon the believing Gentiles Gal. 3.8 14. The highest Honour is oft given to this High Father As 1. God frequently calls himself the God of Abraham 2. Abrahams Bosom is made the Synonymon of the same import with Heaven it self and its unspeakable happiness Luk. 16.22 23. 3. Abraham is call'd three times in Scripture The Friend of God 2 Chron. 20.7 Isa 41.8 and Jam. 2.23 which was an higher Honour to Abraham than if God had engraven his name in the highest Orb of the Heavens This lofty style and most eminent Title speaks out a mutual Relation 'twixt God and Abraham God really favoured Abraham and Abraham entirely loved God as one Friend doth another hence it was That 1. There was frequent Communion between God and Abraham who had his familiar Visions of God And 2. There was a Friendly League and Covenant both Offensive and Defensive betwixt them Gen. 12.2 3. and 15.1 18. and 17.2 7. And 3. As an excellent Ensign of this Honourable Friendship it was for Abrahams sake that his God swore to him Heb. 6.17 God willing more abundantly c. did not simply say but solemnly Swear to Abraham which was a glorious condescention that he would bless him in himself and his and make him a blessing to many others Gen. 12.2 3. Thus Abraham the tenth from Noah as Noah was the tenth from Adam had also most high honour put upon him as was ut suprà upon Noah for as Noah was the restorer of Religion to the World so Abraham was the establisher of it in the World yet in this respect Abraham is advanced above Noah in as much as Destruction was extended to all people in Noahs days but Salvation was Promised to all Nations in Abrahams days In thee saith God to him shall all the Nations of the Earth be Blessed Gen. 12.3 c. Moreover this Friend of God was a tryed Friend for God did try him with ten tryals and every one worse than other though still God led him from lower to higher and harder tryals the last of the ten being the highest and hardest of all about Offering up his only Son c. yet still he sticks close to God as his Friend yea as his Life Deut. 10.20 and 30.20 that this Father of the Faithful might become a perfect Pattern or Copy to both Jâ—ws and Gentiles that were to be the Children of Abraham He must give no less than ten proofs and evidences of his Faithfulness to God which shews us two Truths 1. No Bosom of any Son of Abraham Luk. 19.9 can expect exemption from Tryals and Temptations when that Bosom of Father Abraham to which Heaven it self is compared was assaulted with them c. 2. Abrahams practice of Faithfulness to God under all his ten Tryals and Temptations as a faithful friend of God is ablessed pattern to all the Sons and Daughters of Abraham for their holy imitation under all their Exercises Children should follow the foosteps of their Father Heb. 6.12 and we must all tread in Abrahams steps in this lower World Rom. 4.11 12. or we shall never lodge in Abrahams Bosom as Lazarus did Luk. 16.22 23. in the better World Abraham indeed stands under a threefold resemblance As 1. He represents or resembles God the Father in these parallel congruities 1. As Abraham was an High Father as his name signifies so is God the Father the Highest Father yea the Father of all Fatherhoods 2. As Abraham was the Father of many Families both Jews and Gentiles that are Faithful yet had he but one only Son by natural Generation to wit Isaac Born in fulness of time to him So God the Father is the Father of all the Families in the World Eph. 3.14 15. yet hath he but one only Son by Eternal Generation which none can declare Isa 53.8 to wit Jesus born of a Virgin in due time Gal. 4.4 3. As Abraham so loved God that he spared not his only Son but would have offer'd up Isaac upon Mount Moriah Gen. 22.1 c. So God loved Abraham and the Families in him so much that he gave his
in the Faith of it v. 13. It is the custom among men first to take Possession and afterwards to Inherit and Enjoy which may be some reversion only and personal peaceable possession may by some long Lease be Interrupted for some Generations This was Abrahams case yet took he Possession of the Land because of his Title to it which was threefold 1. By Promise 2. By Conquest 3. By Purchase 1. By way of Promise God made Canaan to belong unto Abraham by making a Promise of it to him no less than four times Gen. 12.7 and 13.15 and 15.7 and 17.8 This Promise of God being a fourfold Cord Abraham accounts his best Free-hold hereupon he left his present Possessions in Ur and in Haran though he saw not so much as a Foot of the Land of Canaan made over to him as an Inheritance in his day Act. 7.5 yet he look'd upon all as his own This History containeth a Mystery to wit thus it is with all the Faithful as it was with the Father of the Faithful such have the Spirit of Truth to assure them of their Interest in Divine Promise 2 Cor. 1.22 and 5.5 Eph. 1.14 't is an Earnest This makes them exceeding Rich though they see not the Actual Performance of them in their day The wealth of a man is not reckoned so much by the ready Cash he hath by him in his Coffers as by the substantial Bills and Bonds c. he is able to produce thus the greatest part of a Believers Wealth lyeth in good Bills and Bonds under Gods own Hand and Seal all Signed in his Word and Sealed by his Spirit He therefore accounts Heavenly Promises far better than Earthly Performances as Abraham did only take Possession of Canaan which afterwards he was to Inherit so a Christian takes Possession of Heaven with his Name written in it Luke 10.20 and with his Heart Panting towards it 2 Pet. 3.12 having his Conversation there while his Commoration is here and Abraham asked a Sign to assure him of his Inheritance Gen. 15.8 not because he believed not Gods Promise thrice made over to him before but that he might the better believe after How great is Gods Love to us in giving us his Sacraments wherein he maketh himself Visible as well as Audible to us Yet this is greater Love to give us the Privy Seal of his Spirit as well as the Broad Seal of his Sacraments for our better security 2. By way of Conquest Canaan belong'd to Abraham in his Conquering Chedarlaomer c. Gen. 14.4 15 17. This great King was the Son of Elam the Son of Shem Gen. 10.22 and According to Noahs Prophecy Canaan shall be Shem's Servant Gen. 9.26 this Chedarlaomer was Lord over the Canaanites and over those chief Cities which stood in the plains of Jordan Abraham conquers him in battel so Canaan became the Conquerours by Conquest he became the Heir of Canaan the History holds forth this Mystery that all Christians the Children of Abraham are by their New-Birth Born Heirs of Heaven the Celestial Canaan they should therefore be Valiant for it Jer. 9.3 And Violent to Storm it Mat. 11.12 'T is the meek that Inherit the Earth Mat. 5.6 but 't is the Violent that both wins and wears Heaven as above As Davids worthies brake through all Difficulties to come to the well of Bethlehem 2 Sam. 23.16 So the good Souldiers of Christ 2 Tim. 2.3 should endure all hardness and hold Heroick resolutions to have Heaven by Conquest whatever it cost them that they may be more than Conquerours even Triumphers Rom. 8.37 2 Cor. 2.14 what was said of Cyprus that the Richness of that Country did sollicit the Hungry Romans to attaque and overcome it may be much more said of Heaven in its bliss-ful Riches When Israel heard that Canaan was the glory of all Lands this made them run violently through all dangers to subdue and enjoy it when Joshuah saw the slackness of seven Tribes which had received no Inheritance nor cared to do so consulting their own case and not daring to wage a new War he severely checks them saying How long will ye be slack to go up c. Josh 18.2 3. So we must lay hold on Eternal Life 1 Tim. 6.19 3. By way of purchase Canaan was Abrahams Though all the Land was his by Promise yet he procures only a Burying place by purchase Gen. 23.16 â— not having a Foot of it for his own present possession This purchas'd Burying place was an earnest for all the rest hence all the Patriarchs Dying after desir'd to be Bury'd in it Gen. 47.30 and 50.25 a Sepulchre of ones own was a sign of firm possession Isa 22.16 As in Shebna's case who hewed out for himself a stately Sepulchre in Jerusalem as it he had been of the stock Royal and had a right there whereas he was but a stranger an exotick Plant and a meer Mushroom or Terrae-filius an up-start Forreigner yet died a disgraceful out-cast v 18. but Abraham's Assurance made to him of this Burying-place Gen. 23.20 was a Prophetical Sign of a certain future possession as Jeremy's was Jer. 32.7 10 15 43. Hence flow some Remarkable Inferences As 1. Abraham was the first Purchaser of Land that is mention'd in Scripture yet his Purchase was not a place to build on but to Bury in which teacheth us our chiefest care should not be for this present Life being only Pilgrims here and living only as in Tents but for the life to come the very Egyptians had some notions of this great Truth in their building but mean houses yet most costly Tombs but the Hebrews saw it more clearly in calling their burying-places Beth Cajim the House of the living Job 30.23 Isa 14.13 Psal 49.14 and 89.48 as Heaven is call'd the Congregation-House of the Souls of Just Men Heb. 12.23 So the Grave is the Congregation-House to Which the Bodies of all the Living are assign'd 'T is the publick or common meeting-place hence when Godly Men Die they are said to be gathered to their People Gen. 25.8 17. and 49.33 Numb 31.2 'T was the Jews custom to Hew out their Sepulchres long before their Death to be standing memorials of their mortality thus Joseph of Arimathea had his Tomb in his Garden that his choicest delights there might be moderated with meditations of Death whereof he was there also minded Mat. 27.57 60. The 2. Inference is Abraham is call'd the Heir of the World Rom. 4.13 much more must he be the Heir of this little Land of Canaan reputed no bigger than our Wales wherein he had now sojourned about sixty years yet purchased not one Foot of Inheritance save only this Burying-place in it at that time for his Dear Dead Sarah 't is not Improbable though that some of his Family so numerous might Die in so long a space of time yet we read not a word of his Carking care for purchasing Possessions wherein to entertain his numerous Family
ordering and over-ruling All yea and counter-comforting him against his four Cor-doliums or Hearts-griefs as 1. For his Banishment from his Parents God saith I will be thy Keeper 2. For leaving his Native Country he saith I will give thee this Land 3. For his solitary Journey he should be accompanied with Angels And 4. His Cordial against his Poverty was that God would make him great to East and West c. And this Vision was not only for Jacob's Comfort proper to him alone but 't is for the Comfort of all the Seed of Jacob in common even of all God's People that they should not doubt of God's Presence and Assistance at any time and in any place of their Troubles This is the literal Sense But the main mystical sense is to signifie the Saviour of Mankind as Christ himself the best Expounder of Visions and Scriptures doth Expound it as prefiguring himself Sundry Testimonies of this excellent Interpretation we have from John the Evangelist who writes chiefly of Christ's Divinity as Matthew and Luke of his Humanity as before whereof who can tell his Generation or Genealogy Isa 53.8 what is his Name and what is his Sons Name declare if thou canst tell Prov. 30.4 According to the Divine Nature Christ is without Descent or Pedigree as Melchisedech Hebr. 7.2 In concurrence with all these Scriptures the Evangelist John essays as his prime Project and principal Drift Scope and Subject to set forth the Deity of Christ his Co-eternity and Co-existency with the Father and how he was a Co-agent with him in the Creation Joh. 1.1 2 3 4 5. where that heavenly Eagle call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 John the Divine soars out of sight at his first flight the profoundness of which Praefatory Mysteries in those five aforesaid Verses did so astonish a Platonick Philosopher at the reading of them that tho' he call'd the Evangelist a Barbarian yet was he constrain'd to cry out He had comprised more stupendious stuff in those few lines than all the Philosophers had done in their Voluminous Discourses This was a fair Acknowledgment and he had been an Happy man had his Admiration hereof made a thorough work upon his Affections so as to bring him over from Atheism to Christianity as the reading of those very Verses did upon Learned Junius according to his own Confession in the History of his Life but alas this vain Philosopher only read this profound piece and wondred at it but still not having Divine Teachings he left it where he found it now this high-flying Evangelist gives three choice Testimonies that Jacobs Ladder did really represent our Blessed Redeemer Mans Mediator His first Testimony is Joh. 1.51 Ye shall see the Heavens opened and the Angels ascending and descending upon the Son of Man Where for the comfort of all true Believers he plainly alludeth to Jacobs Ladder Gen. 28.12 which representeth Christ who alone toucheth Heaven and Earth with his two Nature his Humanity as the foot of the Ladder placed on Earth and his Deity as the top of the Ladder reacheth to Heaven and so as he is the Mediator he conjoyneth Heaven and Earth together reconciling all in himself to the Father Col. 1.20 Eph. 2.19 so becomes the Bridge as Gregory calls him which reacheth over from Man to God a great Gulph indeed as Luke 16.26 betwixt them in the faln estate is fixed yet Christ only hath a reach long enough to transport us over it He is the only Mediator 1 Tim. 2.5 Beside him there is no Saviour Isa 43.11 By his only Merits and Mediation both the Ministry of Angels the Gifts and Graces of the Spirit descend down upon Man and mens persons and prayers do ascend up to God who is at the top of the Ladder saying This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased Matth. 3.17 The second Testimony of this Evangelist is John 3.13 Christ came down from Heaven and goes up to Heaven like Jacobs Ladder bringing God down to Man in his Assumption of Mans Nature to his God-head and carrying Man back again to God from whom he had faln in his Ascention of Mans Nature up to Heaven And all that Interval of Time betwixt his Assumption and Ascention the Holy Angels are said to Minister to him To say nothing how they sang Anthems at his Birth Luke 2.13 14 15. and how they will attend him at his second coming 2 Thes 1.7 8. As First In his Temptation Mat. 4.11 Secondly In his Passion Luke 22.43 Thirdly In his Resurrection John 20.12 Fourthly In his Ascention Acts 1.11 c. And as Christ is the Head of Angels Eph. 1.22 which are call'd Shinan changeable Creatures Psal 68.17 so receive their Confirmation by Christ not to forsake their first Habitation as the Apostate Angels did So he chargeth them with his Church Psal 34.7 Heb. 1.14 whom he calls His Fulness Eph. 1.23 not accounting himself compleat until She his Body be by the Guardianship of the Angels gather'd to him the Head that where he their Head is there they may be also John 17.24 in which respect the Church hath this Honour of making Christ perfect as the Members do perfect the Body and the Body the Head The third Testimony of this Evangelist is his calling Christ from his own Mouth the Door John 10.1 2 7. and to the same sense the way John 14.6 both which Titles tell us that He is porta semita scala Caeli as the Antient Fathers term him the only portal passage and path way to Heaven and Happiness We have no whither to go but to him John 6.66 We have no way to go but by him to attain Eternal Life John 14.6 Acts 4.12 Christ hath paved us a new and living way Heb. 10.20 unto Heaven with his own Meritorious Blood and his Flesh stands as a Skreen betwixt us and Everlasting Burnings Isa 33.14 Eph. 2.14 Isa 32.2 Micah 5.5 None of the Popish He or She Saints or Angels can make a Ladder of Life long enough and strong enough whereon Men may climb up to God We should say of all such sorry Saviours as Cicero said of the many Heathen Demi-gods Istos Deos minutulos contemno modò Jovem propitium habeam may great Jove be my Friend I value not the frowns of all the Diminutive Deities Let the Romanists fancy to themselves other false Ladders we do despise their Dunghil-deities 't is enough if the true Jehovah our Dear Jesus will be a Ladder of Life to us This Symbol of the Mediator was exhibited to Jacob here as most suitable to his sad Soul that he might be comforted with this Sign of Christ of Jacob's Seed who was to spring out of Jacob's Loins his Mediation in whom all Nations should be blessed The great Truth therefore that ariseth from hence is That Christ is our Ladder of Life and Love by which we have Communion with God upon Earth while we Live and Admission unto God in Heaven when we Die
he very Happy in having a Paul by him who restor'd him to life again v. 10. Christ hath many Rooms as this Ladder hath many Rounds some lower for Children some middle for Young Men and some higher for Fathers in Grace and Godliness Now the higher that you climb the more dangerous and deadly is your Fall if you be not exceeding wary and watchful in your steps you may not take up one foot until you know where to set down the other the steps are narrow Matth. 7.14 though the Ladder be large as before and soon mist for want of due Caution and Circumspection This David felt when he complained my feet had almost slipt Psal 73.2 and fear'd when he pray'd Uphold my Goings in thy Paths that my footsteps slip not Psal 17.5 If once you slip there is no stop or stay in the way you slide down it may be headlong to the very bottom and if not slain by a backward fall as heavy Eli was 1 Sam. 4.18 yet surviving you have all your climbing work to begin anew according to the Nazarites Law Numb 6.12 but the Days that were before shall be lost because his Separation is defiled so your foul Fall defiles all your former Devotions and you must therefore begin the World and your work afresh Repent and do your first works c. Rev 2.5 Sixthly See then that you make daily Progress upon this Ladder a man may be in daily motion that steps up some few steps and then steps down again and so keep continually ascending and descending without any proficiency non proficere est deficere Grow in Grace from the lower to the higher Form and Degree your Knowledge must grow from a dram to a pound yea to a Talent thereof Poor Ezra and Nehemiah coming out of Captivity could give but Drams of Gold to Temple-work Ezr. 2.69 Nehem. 7.70 71. but Rich David was able to give not only Pounds but whole Talents towards it 1 Chron. 29.4 The man heal'd of his blindness by Christ at the first saw but men as trees walking but the second touch from Christ made him see all clearly Mark 8.24 25. so your Faith most grow from a grain of Mustard-seed to become a great Tree wherein Divine Thoughts and Desires may as Birds of the Air lodge in the branches thereof Matth. 13.31 32. so your Zeal must grow from smoaking Flax to a burning Torch and so all other Graces should grow Monstri est semper Infantem esse the Child that grows not is expos'd as a Prodigy 't is a shame the Holy Child Jesus should lye always in Swaddling Clouts you must be growing up in him till you touch Heaven with your head and heart Compare time with time for this c. See that you be active and abounding in God's Work seeing 't is not in vain in the Lord 1 Cor. 15.58 Some say the eight Beatitudes Christ proclaims in his Sermon on the Mount Matth. 5.1 2 3 to the 12. are the sundry steps of this Ladder whereof Poverty of Spirit is the lowest v. 3. and Purity of Heart is the sixth v. 8. 't is no easie labour to attain unto this step but if you be yet but on the lowest Christ pronounces you blessed and more blessed are you still if you reach higher The Fourth Remarkable Inference is Though climbing be hard work and against the bent or tendency of Nature Omne grave deorsum all heavy things press downward yet this hard work hath high Helps and Encouragements As 1. Here is an entire Ladder the Mediation of Christ wherein never a step is broken that is an useless Ladder which wanteth several steps and what insignificant things are steps when sever'd from the Ladder so are all our Gifts and Duties out of Christ and his Mediation which gives Life and Vertue to all 2. As every step must be on him so Righteousness and Peace Mercy and Truth are met in him Psal 85.10 11. and in his Mediation as the two Sides of the Ladder do kiss each other Christ is both our Righteousness Jer. 23.6 and our Peace Eph. 2.14 Truth springs out of the Earth or Heart of Man and Mercy looks down from God out of Heaven These are the objects and sure Hand-Holds for our Faith in our climbing up 3. Christ himself is gone up before us into Heaven Job 3.13 Act. 1.11 1 Pet. 2.21 c. he being God-Man needed no Ladder yet that where he is we may be also Joh. 17.24 he hath left his Mediation as a Ladder for us Having open'd Heaven and Paradise to us which the first Adam by his Fall shut against us Gen. 3.24 we may therefore follow the Captain of our Salvation Hebr. 2.10 with comfort and courage and we must follow him fast and close having the Help of a Ladder which he had not yet is become one to us his Resurrection Ascension and Sitting down are the foot length and top of this Ladder for his footsteps drop fatness Psal 65.11 for us to gather up for out refreshing in the way if we pursue him close Our 4th Encouragement is Angels attend Heirs of Salvation Heb. 1.14 to secure us from falling Psal 91.11 they are as our Nurses into whose keeping our Heavenly Father committeth us and chargeth them to look well to us his Children while we live on Earth as Citizens Children are committed to Country Nurses and to bring us safe Home to the City and to our Father's House when we die as they did the Soul of Lazarus Luk. 16.22 our Protection by Angels though manag'd by an invisible hand is our Privilege purchased by Christ oh Bless God for it Our 5th Encouragement is God is leaning as some read this Gen. 28.13 at the top of the Ladder crying Come up hither Rev. 11.12 and humbling himself to take hold of our hand with his and to draw us up to himself He hath an Hand and an Heart to help us that Child climbs the Style safely and cheerfully who is in his Father's hand c. The Fifth Remarkable Inference is Even Rich mens Children may meet with much Hardship as Jacob did here His Father Isaac had a vast Estate descended on him from his Grandfather Abraham who was a Prince among the Hittites even a mighty Prince among them Gen. 23.6 and whom God had blessed greatly with a very great Estate Gen. 24.35 and all this Prince-like Wealth was given by him unto Isaac v. 36. yea and Jacob's Mother Rebekab had brought up this Son whom she loved Gen. 25.28 with much tenderness no doubt and indulgency yet is Jacob banish'd from Home forced to foot it five hundred Miles having neither Horse nor Chariot to carry him this long Journey and in the way of this wearying Walk was constrain'd to lye out of Doors having no better Accommodation than the cold Ground for his Bed an hard Stone for his Bolster and the open Firmament for his Canopy over him Little do the best and wealthiest of Men know what
as the Proverb runs drove the Wolf out of the Wood All a Man hath will he give for his Life Job 2.4 There the Father of Lies did speak a great Truth what would their Lands and Liberties signifie should they lose their Lives by the Famine which is an Irresistible Tyrant but so is not Oppression in which case Liberty is oft prefet'd above Life and Men especially Free-born will chuse to lose the latter rather than the former Philo-Judaeus tells of an Heathen-people who in their Wars used only this Expression estote viri libertas agitur quit your selves brave Soldiers rather lose your Lives than your Liberties for that is the Cause you now Fight for 't is for sweet Liberty our Native and Birth-right Liberty And Daniel in his History of England declareth that there was a contention held very hot in this our Land between Prince and People for full fourscore years together about Liberty and Property which ceased not until the Grand Charter was granted the whole and sole design whereof was wisely contrived to keep the Beam right even and equal without tilting on either side between Soveraignty and Subjection And to end that long Controversie this Magna Charta so called was happily gained in the Maturity of a Judicious Prince Edward the first who frankly granted and fully ratified it to the Peoples Satisfaction And if any violence for breaking into Joseph's Store-houses was not acted by the people of Egypt when they came under those sad Circumstances every one of the five being sadder than the other that went before it it may 1. Be ascribed to Joseph's prudence as to a secondary cause of that effect for 't is probable saith Rivet that Joseph wisely laid up his Corn in strong Towers or Castles which were not easily broke into and 't is certain as Recorded in Scripture that he removed the people from one end of the Land to the other ver 21. not only to alter the Property of their Possessions from themselves to Pharaoh the present Purchaser of them but also it was his prudence and policy that by this change of Habitations they might be separated from their Brethren as he himself had been Gen. 49.26 from their Kindred and all their Acquaintance hereby they were render'd altogether uncapable to move Sedition against the Government to which Thargum Jerusal addeth a third Reason hereof that the Egyptians should not deride Joseph's Brethren for being Strangers among them seeing this Translation made themselves Strangers to their own Relations and former Companions yea and brought them into Bondage under Pharaoh according to the Curse Gen. 9.25 they also being a part of Cham's Posterity Gen. 10.6 Psal 105.23 when both their Persons and Possessions were translated into Pharaoh's power But the great Question is Whether Joseph be justifiable in thus provoking a poor pinched and half-pined people He seems to have put off all Bowels of Humanity thus to take the advantage of their necessity and that to the utmost Rigour both to the Ingrossing of all their Goods and to the Inthralling of all their Persons contrary as to appearance to all the common Rules both of Charity and Justice Answer 1. Our Lord expresly forbids to judge according to Appearance but commands to judge Righteous Judgment John 7.24 It need not be doubted but those Blind Egyptians were precipitant enough in their judging and censuring godly Joseph whose Office it was to teach them as well as their Senators wisdom Psal 105.22 that he might both learn them the worship of the true God and unlearn them the worship of their false Gods This was enough to prejudice them against him Tully a Man of great Knowledge as well as Eloquence could say Me à Religione quam à majoribus traditam accept nulla unquam suadebit oratio all the World shall never perswade me to relinquish that Religion which I received by Tradition from my Fore-fathers though it was but a Rotten Romish Idolatrous Religion How much more might these silly Souls say so and therefore they must have a prejudicate opinion of all that he said and did especially if as some say that he press'd upon this people the Doctrine and Practice of Circumcision Though this sâ—â—lls like a Jewish Fable and was not done to their provocation yet was there enough done in all these premised passages to provoke them into rage as before notwithstanding all his prudence and therefore that no mischief follow'd flowing from those that were too apt to judge according to appearance c. must be Attributed more to Gods Power and Providence than to Joseph's Prudence and Policy No doubt but those poor people of Egypt would not only reprehend what they could not comprehend as to the Reason of Joseph's Actings in his high Office but would also Rage at them so Gen. 41.13 as before importeth yet 't is the mighty work of the Almighty's Power and Providence to restrain that rage of Man which will not turn to the praise of God Psal. 76.10 As the Huntsman ordereth the rage of the Hunting Dog to his own pleasure restraining it at his will by a slip or string in his Hand so the Great God hath his Hunters or Hunting Dogs that Hunt Gods Joseph's from Mountain to Hill and from Hill to Mountain Jer. 16.16 even mighty Hunters such as Nimrod was Gen. 10.8 9. Caldeans Babylonians or Roman-Babel Butlders that have Hunted Gods people out of their Meeting-places in our Day yet are they all but as Gods Dogs in a String who restrains them at his pleasure and orders their rage for his Honour the Hebrew word for restrain there signifies to curb and to keep within Compass the Greek Septuag reads it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It shall keep Holy Day to thee that is cease from working as upon an Holy or Resting-day as to outwárd Objects how restless soever it be within It is the Great God who is girded with prevailing power as the Hebrew Gibber signifies Psal 65.6 that girds in all extravagant Rage as within a Girdle yea God hath a Girdle for that most unruly Element the wide Ocean and that must be both a wide and a strong Girdle indeed ver 7. He hath the raging Sea it self fast in his swadling Bands Job 38.9 'T is but as a weak Babe when most outragious in the Hands of the mighty God who orders it at his pleasure turning it this way and that way in its Fluxes and Refluxes as easily as the Nurse doth the swadl'd Infant when he listeth Yea God hath a Girdle for the Mightiest Monarchs girding their Loins with a Girdle Job 12.18 19. with a Rope reads the vulgar wherewith he restrains them laying Affliction upon their Loins Psal 66.11 and removing such as seem unmoveable pouring contempt upon them Job 12.21 Dan. 2.21 and 4.30 c. So God hath a Girdle for the Tumults of the people as well as for the Pride and Usurpations of Princes which are oft as outragious as the raging
his firm fast hand-hold and heart-hold of Faith he had of Heaven its Antitype at his Death 〈◊〉 This faithfulness of Moses and Israel in fulfilling the Promise their Fore-fathers had sworn to Joseph Gen. 50.24 25. bolds forth to us this great truth That the will of the Dead must faithfully be performed so the Apostle saith The Testament it confirmed when the Testator is dead Hebr. 9.17 God will surely revenge their quarrel whose Souls he hath received into his Heavenly protection whose godly Legacies and Bequeathings are reversed and their Last Will and Testament not rightly fulfilled for as God professeth himself the special Protector of the Fatherless and Widow so he will maintain the cause of the Dead that are Fatherless as to the World and their Souls are as it were Widows for a time while they are absent from their Bodies Woe to them that are unfaithful to the Dead who will assuredly be much more so to the living This is also considerable that whereas the Patriarchs sold Joseph into Egypt they did not only sell him thither but their Children carry'd his Bones thence and not his Bones only but of those Patriarchs also Acts 7.16 who had equal Title to that Land of Promise with Joseph so would not be left in the Land of Bondage Now the carrying of the Bones of all the Twelve Patriarchs along with them out of Egypt could not but be a continual corroboration of Israel's Faith in the Wilderness and encourage them to expect with patience the accomplishment of Gods Promise c. But Israel's carrying dead mens Bones in their Company was nothing comparable such an encouragement to them and a Corroboration of their Faith as was that of having the living Lord not only for their Companion but also for their Captain Conduct and Convoy from Rameses through the Wilderness all their two and forty Journeys coming to them in their Removal from Rameses though not mentioned till their third station at Aetham for they had then a need of Gods guidance to direct them the right way as well as afterwards and the Lord their Guide never left Israel till they came to pass over Jordan where they were commanded to follow the Ark not the Cloud The Remarks upon this are many and eminent as follow The first Remark is The Lord could by many other means have manifested the presence of his Majesty in his guiding Israel but here for their greater comfort he doth shew himself by some visible signs of his presence 'T is said The Lord went before them in the Cloudy Pillar by Day and in the Pillar of Fire by Night c. Exod. 13.21 Divine condescention is marvellous here now was the Church but a Child Israel is so call'd when call'd out of Egypt Hos 11.1 God puts her not off with naked Signs or verbal Promises barely but give her a most lively Representation of his presence in this Cloud not as if the great Jehovah could be included in a Cloud for his Immensity is incomprehensible and he fills both Heaven and Earth with his Omnipresence the very Light of Nature in the Sage Heathens could say Jovis omnia plena and praesentem monstrat quaelibet herba Deum God is every where Ubiquity is his Attribute and therefore this Cloud could not include or conclude the Omnipresent God but he only condescended here to the Childish capacity of his Infant-Church by letting forth one single Ray of his Invisible Majesty in this glorious manner for his Churches Encouragement and Direction in a wayless Wilderness And indeed this is the glory of the Old Testament that it had so many glorious Appearances of the great God in such a familiar way c. The second Remark is who this Person is that thus gloriously manifested himself in this Cloudy Pillar He is call'd Jehovah here Exod. 13.21 and the Angel of God Exod 14.19 and such an Angel as was both of Gods Name and Nature Exod. 23.20 23. the Angel of Gods presence Isa 63.9 who was indeed the Lord of Angels even the Son of God whom Paul plainly calls Christ and whom the Israelites tempted by their Disobedience in the Wilderness 1 Cor. 10.4 9. and who is Typified by this Cloud Isa 4.6 leading his people c. for Christ protects and directs yea every way is a congruous Salvo to the wants and weaknesses of his Church and Children in the Wilderness of this lower World as this Cloudy Pillar was here which various ways represented our Redeemer 1. As Christ is the Pillar and Supporter of his Church in the World as upon a Sea of Glass mingled with Fire Rev. 15.4 where her standing would be both too hot and too slippery were it not that Christs Left Hand is both under and over her Head and his Right Hand doth embrace her Cant. 2.6 as her Upholder 2. As Christ sheweth us the way to Eternal Life This Cloudy Pillar did direct Israel through the Wilderness to the Earthly Canaan but Christ leads his Redeemed to the Heavenly Countrey Heb. 11.14 through this present evil World so call'd Gal. 1.4 taking them by the Arms and teaching them to go Hos 11.3 4. yea himself saith I am the way the truth and the life John 14.6 He is the way to walk in the truth to walk by and the life to walk with c. 3. As Christ openeth to us an open passage through the Red Sea of our severest Afflictions which even threaten to swallow us up but indeed by his Grace doth preserve us He led Israel by the Head as well as by the Hand down the Deep as the Rider doth his Horse down the Hill and made their way so firm and plain that there was nec lutum nec lapis in semitâ suâ neither Quagmire nor Mud to stick fast in nor any Stones to stumble upon He led them gently and leisurely with his glorious Arm till he brought them to rest in the Land of Promise Isa 63.11 12 13 14. so he will do so to us may but our Souls and Sufferings he Dyed Red with his Blood Heb. 9.12 13 14. 4. As this Pillar was call'd a Pillar of Fire and of a Cloud Exod. 14.24 for it was but one in Substance though divers in Offices 'T is call'd one in the singular number Exod. 40.38 Numb 9.15 16 21. 1 Cor. 10.3 Psal 105.39 c. yet the same Cloud covered the whole Camp from the heat of the Sun in those not Countreys very injurious to Travellers especially in that Sandy Defart of Arabia directing them all the day in their Journeyings but was as Fire to give them light in the Night whether they rested or travelled So Christ consists of two Natures the Fire represented his Divine Nature and the Cloud his Humane both handing us to Heaven Thus there is much congruity more in the Sequel but some disparity The third Remark is The excellent properties of this Cloud far exceeding and excelling all other common and ordinary Clouds shewing
of Peace with Joshua c. are 1. The Final Cause was that they might be allowed to live and not be destroyed with the Cursed Canaanites ver 15.20 21. the League was to let them live 2. The Efficient Cause was their Elders of Gibeon their Royal City and the Embassadors sent by the Elders ver 3 4 11. 3. The Material Cause by which the Cheat was managed was Victus Amictus Mouldy Bread and Clouted Cloathing c. ver 4 5.12 13. c. 4. The Formal Cause was the smooth Oration which those Embassadors made before Israel to decoy them into the bonds of a Covenant with them ver 6 8 9 10 11 12 13. Thus those poor Gibeonites made a better use of what they heard to wit the Ruine of Jericho and Ai than the other Canaanites did therefore they work wilily ver 3 4. and wickedly too in laying one lye upon another ver 5 6 9 11 12 13. thus Mendacium Mendacio Assuunt they stitch one Lye to another they strain hard to save their lives and taught their Tongues to speak Lies Jer. 9.5 and took fast hold of Deceit Jer. 8.5 Satan knew what he said All a Man hath will he give for his Life Job 2.4 whereas we should rather Die than Lye The Embassador is call'd an Hivite ver 7. which name hath the signification of a Serpent in it This Hivite told his Tale fairly but not a word of truth in his whole Tale He had more of the Serpent than of the Dove here was Serpentine Subtilty but no Columbine Simplicity Do not the least evil tho' it would procure the greatest good Rom. 3.8 And thus our Modern Gibeonites the Romanists would cheat the Protestants with a pretence of Antiquity Indeed the Romish Religion is no better than Clouted Shooes and Moulded Bread yet non erat sic ab initio our Religion is found in the Bible long before Luther where their musty stuff never was found Their Old Religion as they call it deserveth no more Reverence than an old Fornicator who because Old is so much the more odious Antiquity without Verity is but filthy Hoariness the old things mentioned 1 Chron. 4.23 were never better for being Ancient The Second Remark upon the Second Part is the Strange Effect which the Causes afore-mention'd did produce namely a League and Confederacy procured by the overmuch craftiness of the Gibeonites and contracted by the over-much Credulity of the Israelties ver 15. The Grand Enquiry here is whether this League was Lawful or not Answer the First some have these Sentiments that it was unlawful upon those grounds because 1. God forbad Israel to make any League with the Canaanites and bad to destroy them all Exod. 23.32 34.15 Deut. 7.2 without making any Exceptions c. Secondly the People murmured at this League ver 18. which they ought not to have done had it been Lawful 3. Joshua denounces those Gibeonites accursed for deceiving him ver 23. which he would not have done had nothing been done but what was just and equal 4. He Charged them with Circumventing him by dissimulation ver 21. Answer the Second but others affirm it was a Lawful League as Augustin and all the Rabbies c. upon those grounds First It was lawful for Israel to offer Peace to other Nations before they besieged any of their Cities Deut. 20.10 which shews this League was lawful as to the substantial part of it Secondly This Sanguinary Law of Killing all the Canaanites was not absolute and Universal but admitted of an exception of Penitents and True Converts as appeareth from Jerem. 18.7 8. Jon. 3.4 Thirdly That this Law was thus limitted being only a positive Law and so might be qualified with a Natural and Moral Equity appears in Israel's sparing Rahab and her Relations Fourthly The Reason of that Sanguinary Law was least those Canaanites that were not killed might entire the Israelites to their Idolatry Now that Reason ceased at their turning from Idolatry and becoming Proselites to Israel c. Fifthly That the Gibeonites were Converts appears for their Hearts were not hardned as the other Canaanites were Josh 11.19 20. They came to Joshua here in the Name of the Lord ver 9. and they had this blessing to have a near approach unto God in their Service of the Sanctuary ver 27. where David could have been content to be a Poor Door-Keeper Psal 84.10 Sixthly Had this League been unlawful it had been better broken than kept If it had been a Sin to make it the Sin would have been double to keep it but Joshua and all the Princes upon the review of it did conscientiously keep it verse 19 20.22 23. Seventhly God severely punish'd the Violaters of this League long even 400 years after as 2 Sam. 21.3 Saul's rash zeal cost the seven of his Sons Lives and so almost rooted out his whole Posterity Eighthly The utter Destruction of all the other Cursed Canaanites came not so much or so necessarily upon them by vertue of any absolute or peremptory precept for destroying them as it did from their own obstinacy and obduration of their hearts whereby they did not only neglect but also scorned to make peace Joshua 11.19.20 The Third Remark is the Admirable Adjuncts of this League which be two The first is the Discovery of the Decit And Secondly The Punishment upon the Deceivers First The Discovery of the Cheat was not till Three days after the League was made ver 16. who was the Discoverer is not express'd 't is not at all improbable that some Israelites making Excursions out of the Camp into the Country either for Forage and Food or out of Curiosity to view Canaan might come to Gibeon which some say was but 26 Miles from Gilgal where Joshua incamp'd and there hear and bring the News Now when Joshua understood by those Foragers c. that those Deceivers were neighbouring Canaanites still he stood to the Covenant he had contracted with them which may make up the Ninth Evidence to the Eighth aforesaid concerning the lawfulness of the League for had Joshua known it had been contrary to the Law of Moses he would not now upon better Information have confirm'd it seeing the Holy Scripture doth testifie that Joshua left not any thing undone which the Lord had commanded by Moses Josh 11.23 Unto which may be added a Tenth Evidence How can any Man believe that so Wise so Rich and so Potent a King as Solomon was would have spared those Remnants of the Canaanites whom he reduced into Subjection and Servitude nay would he not rather have destroyed them if indeed he had understood that God had commanded it to be done Secondly The Punishment upon the Deceivers though they were spared as to their Lives yet shall they be punished in their Persons ver 20 21 27. The Gibeonites had indeed gulled the Israelites and had beguiled them by the means of this League of the rich Spoils of their
to be a Vertuous Woman but 't is better to be a Gracious Woman Prov. 31.29 30. Vertue without Faith is but a beautiful Abomination and a smoother way to Hell and Damnation when 't is only Moral not Theological Vertue a drachm of Grace is worth a pound of Vertue with the Lord. Morally Vertuous Women yet in an unregenerate state although they be never so witty so well worded and so well deeded too are but like those wild Creatures tamed the Camel the Elephant c they do the work of tame Creatures yet have they the Nature of wild ones Many Daughters have done Vertuously but the Gracious Woman excels them all The Woman that feareth the Lord she shall be praised for the Paragon of beauty all glorious within Psal 45.11 The Female Glory and the wonder of the World as well as of Women kind to all those that have Spiritual Eyes wherewith to behold the beauty of Holiness which only can be Spiritually discerned 1 Cor. 2.14 To fear the Lord is the Crown of all commendation and makes Amiable to God and good Men. V. 12. Now it is true Hence Observ 1 Truth Alleâ—gea ought readily to be assented unto Every good Man should be both a lover and promoter of truth be it for or against him hence the form of that Oath which should be the end of all strife thou shalt Swear the Truth the whole Truth and nothing but the Truth yea and in common communication our yea should be yea and our nay nay 2 Cor. 1.17 18. No lightness much less lying should be Howbeit there is a Kinsman nearer than I and therefore hath the Right of Redemption before me according to the Law Deut. 25.5 Hence Observ 2. 'T is a just and righteous thing to give every one his own Hence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lex ex 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 distribuo quia lex suum cuique distribuit the Law should give every Man his own Defraud not thy Brother in any matter for God is the avenger of such 1 Thess 4.5 Boaz was a Just and Righteous Man and he would not Rob his Brother of his Right Thou shalt not remove thy Neighbours Land-Mark Deut. 19.14 to take from another for enlarging thine own as wicked Ahab did Naboths Vineyard 1 King 21.3 V. 13. Tarry this Night He saith not come up hither that I may Lie with thee now having so fair and secret an opportunity but tarry till God's time he will not take the Devil's time Hence Observ 1. Marriage Comforts and Priviledges ought to be charitably and chastly come to Behold Boaz's Charity and Chastity unto Ruth she lies beside him and in the Night season too when no Eye could behold him yea all his People were fast asleep in the Barn-floor so that it was not known a Woman came into the Floor yet did he not unchastly touch her for he well knew that God's All-seeing Eye did behold him 2 Chron. 16.9 The very Night is light to him and he seeth all our ways Psal 139.2 3 5 7 8 9 11 12. And therefore doth he chastly conclude with chaste Joseph How can I do this great wickedness and sin against God Gen. 39.9 Yet withal doth he Charitably promise her Marriage and by consequence the Duty of Marriage to be accomplish'd in God's due time and way Let no persons therefore presume to leap into the Married Estate by any Unchaste Actings before Marriage but be careful to come clear and clean to it if ever ye expect God's Comfort and Blessing in it As the Lord liveth He promiseth her Marriage if the other Kinsman refused and confirm'd it with an Oath Hence Observ 2. A private Oath may be taken upon some emergent necessary and Important Occasions That to say The Lord liveth was an Oath Jerem. 4.2 doth shew for none can be said properly to live or originally but the Lord Joseph had corruptly learnt in Aegypt to Swear by the Life of Pharaoh as the Spaniards do now by the Life of their King but 't is not in Judgment Righteousness and Truth to swear by any Creature is to give to the Creature the Glory of the Creator which God will not allow of Isa 48.11 Our Lord indeed saith Let your Communication be yea yea and nay nay for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil Matth. 5.37 and swear not at all v. 34. and above all things swear not Jam. 5.12 That is not at all by the Creatures nor yet by the Name of God in common Talk Lightly Rashly Irreverently or Jestingly Such as Swear in jest may go to Hell in earnest for such Swearing the Land mourueth Hos 4.2 Alas how are loud Oaths to say nothing of those common Complements of Faith Troth and Marry become now the Phrases of Gallantry and the goodliest Grace of a Gentleman never considering how the Word of God threatens a great many Woes against those whose Excrements come out at their Mouths and they are not sensible of it as likewise it tells them of a large Roll Ten Yards long and Five Yards broad all top full of Curses against the Swearer yea resting upon his House Zech. 5.2 3. Job 18.15 Some swear to save their Credit but that Credit is too dear bought that is got by sin A good Man's Oath is needless a bad Man's is bootless but he that feareth not an Oath neither will he scruple a Lye but Credit will always follow Honesty yet this of Boaz's is not a sinful but a Religious Oath though not imposed by a Magistrate but when a private Person cannot have otherwise a necessary truth demonstrated to them Thus Jacob sware to Laban the Spies to Ralab Jonathan to David and here Boaz to Ruth Yet such Oaths must be rare reverent well advised warily and sparingly used not as Food but as Physick only upon urgent necessity and in matters of great importance V. 14. And she lay at his Feet till the Morning This was done not only with his consent but by his counsel v. 13. for she was then risen up to be gone as it seemeth but he advis'd to the contrary lest she should be taken up for a Night-Walker Hence Observ 1. 'T is our Duty to look to our Credit as well as to our Conscience Our Credit and good name before man must be cared for as well as our Conscience before God Acts 24.16 Rom. 12.17.2 Cor. 8.21 Thus Boza counsels her That it might not be known a Woman was with him Et Castè Cautè egit he acts both Chastly and Cautelously to avoid scandal he might probably think an evil report might be raised if this had got abroad Hence are we commanded To abstain from all Appearances of evil 1 Thes 5.22 all shews and shadows of sin because bad men Muse as they Vse they are generally jealous of the worst and will never speak of the best Therefore Boaz makes Ruth rise before Day Observ 2. From his advising her To lie at his Feet all
own present wants but begs my last bit of me c. here 's not a word of such carnal Reasonings She doth not dispute but dispatch c. Hence Lavater Grotius Peter Martyr c. Admire the Strength of her Faith Mark 10. The kindness of this Widow in Baking the first Cake for Elijah was well requited with a Prophet's Reward Mat. 10.41 42. she afforded one Meal for him and He many to her and hers ver 15 16. neither the Meal in the Barrel nor the Oil in the Cruise was made less by daily use for three Years together which was the time of Elijah's absconding from Ahab in this place as He had hid himself for six Months in a Cave at Cherith as above N.B. This multiplying of Meal c. was Elijah's Third Miracle which Grotius compareth to those two Miracles of the blessed Messias in multiplying a few Loaves c. Mat. 14.19 and 15.36 Remark the Third is The History of Elijah's raising this Widow's dead Son to Life which was his Fourth Miracle c. This is described by many Circumstances of Time Place Means and Manner from ver 17 to ver 22. and the Event or Effect of this Miracle namely a farther Confirmation of this new Gentile-Proselytess's Faith v. 23 24. Mark 1. The time when this 4th Miracle was wrought some say was about two years after Elijah was entertain'd and maintain'd as well as absconded by this compassionate Widow Long had she lived under the mercy of this multiplying Miracle Now lest she should forget her self and be Exalted above measure her mercy must be mixed with misery and sickness is sent to kill her Son out-right which Famine only threatned to do an heavy cross now allays her high comfort Mark 2. Her passionate expostulation with the Prophet v. 18. in her extream perplexity she rashly imputes the death of her Son to the presence of the Prophet as if her Son could not have died if Elijah had not been her Guest Thus apt are we to mistake the grounds of our afflictions and to cast them upon wrong Causes Erpennius saith she was conscious to her self that she had not conversed with this most Holy Man so holily and reverently as she ought to have done in the midst of her passion saith Peter Martyr she retaineth her penitency acknowledging her sin was the Mother of her misery and feared the Man of God had complain'd to God of some miscarriage in her Mark 3. The place where this Miracle of raising her Son to life was wrought to wit upon the Prophet's Bed this Holy Prophet answers not passion with passion tho' he was of a fiery temper but calmly takes the dead Son out of its Mother's bosom and lays it upon his own Bed v. 19. that there he might in private pray the more fervently to procure his life again that as he had shut up Heaven from giving Rain so now must he open Heaven to return the Soul of her Son And indeed every word he poured out in Prayer v. 20. was a word of weight and wonder Peter Martyr observes every word is an Argument from the Topicks or Persons 1. From God whose Office it is to be kind to Widows and who is Lord of Life and Death so canst restore from Death to Life 2. From himself I am thy Prophet and thou art my God this will redound to my disgrace if unredress'd what will the World say But God bless me from entertaining God's Prophets if this be the effect thereof 3. From the Widow shall my God and my self requite her kindness with such an act of unkindness she is a Widow so a most passionate Lover of her Son and cannot subsist without her Son's support Let not this affliction of the loss of her Son be added to the affliction of her Widow-hood Mark 4. Elijah observed that old Rule Ora Labora Pray and Labour thus he did by stretching himself three times upon the dead Child v. 21. as if saith Lavater he would have hatch'd him alive as the Hen doth her Eggs but rather it was that his sense of the Carcasses coldness might heat his own heart the more into most fervent Prayer which at the third time prevailed Mark 5. As the means of the Miracle was Invocation and Incubation so the manner of it was by the Soul 's returning to the Body v. 22. which shews he was really dead by such a separation and that the Soul shall return to the Body at the Resurrection This is the First Instance we read of any that was raised from the Dead and this was Elijah's Fourth Miracle Mark 6. The Effect of all v. 23 24. teaching 1. The Immortality of the Soul 2. Effectual fervent Prayer avails much Jam. 5.16 3. To receive a Prophet is not in vain Mat. 10 41 42. 4. Her Faith by the Meal and Oyl which stagger'd at her Son's death was now confirmed by his reviving and 5. This evidences the truth Heb. 11.35 that Women received their dead raised to life again lastly Jerom thinks this Dead Son raised to life was Jonah the Prophet but others do think otherwise saith Peter Martyr however this truth appears that Miracles confirm Faith Heb. 2.4 and that those who work them in truth are sent of God Joh. 3.2 and 9.17.30.33 c. 1 Kings CHAP. XVIII THIS Chapter relateth Elijah's Embassage to King Ahab upon the account of procuring rain after such a long dreadful drought and dearth This Embassage consists of two parts First The Injunction and Secondly the Execution of it then follows the Event thereof Remarks first upon the Injunction as First The Time when ver 1. namely after Israel had laid gasping under a parching Drought and a destructive Famine for Three Years and Six Months James 5.17 in which time no doubt but many a Curse was belched forth by Baal's Worshippers at Elijah for his shutting up Heaven so long from Rain whereas he only had declared it as God's Judgment for their Idolatry 'T was God's Hand who only made use of Elijah's Tongue only to say what God would do chap. 17.1 Thus Embassadors suffer for the sake of their Master that sends them upon Displeasing Embassages They should have railed at their own Sins Remark the Second When Elijah had absconded so long at Cherith's Cave and Sarepta's Widow's God calls him forth from his Hiding-place and bids him Go shew thy self to Ahab with this Message 1. Acquaint him with the Cause of the Famine 2. Advise him to remove the Cause procuring it And 3. Promise him Rain upon his Reformation No Rain must fall saith Dr. Hall till Elijah be seen of Ahab he had carried away the Clouds with him and so must bring them again should Rain have faln in his absence and before his appearance then had it not been according to his word ch 17.1 God herein took care to maintain the Honour and Authority of his Prophet Remark the Third Is Elijah's undaunted Courage in venturing at God's command thus
years Remark the Third At the end of those years she returns ver 3. and cryes to the King for her House and Land which for her so long absence were seized on either by the King's Officers as confiscate to the King saith Grotius or by some of her Kindred saith P. Martyr who had taken possession as if she had been dead N. B. Gehazi's Conference with the King at this Juncture ver 4. hath raised many doubts about timing this Story Among Learned men some say this was done before Gehazi had got Naaman's Leprosie for the King might not talk with a Leper c. but P. Martyr c. will not allow of any Historology or altering the Order of these Histories without good ground affirming 1. The Law forbad not that a Leper should not be talk'd with for this King had talk'd with Leprons Naaman and Christ did so Matth. 8.2 Luke 17. ver 12. 2. He might upon his Repentance be cleansed from his Leprosie and there is some probability here that his white Body with Leprosie was sanctified in helping him to a white Soul seeing he speaks so honourably of his Master tho' he had so severely punish'd him And 3. This bad King was not so studious of the Law but at a due distance durst talk with a Leper his Curiosity might conquer him to break a Ceremonial Law who made no bones of breaking God's Moral Law in worshipping Idols c. Remark the Fourth The marvelous Providence of God brings in this Shunamite with her Son crying to the King for help just at that Juncture while Gehazi was telling him the mighty Miracles his Master had wrought ver 5. wherein he gave Elisha such due and true praises as is some Argument of his Remorse for his dear-bought Lye he once told his Master N.B. God sanctifies our Sins to promote our Salvation if all things shall work for our good c. Rom. 8.28 some of those twenty Miracles this King himself had seen Chap. 3.20 and 7.6 c. he had only heard a Rumour of the rest and being desirous to know them all distinctly out of his Curiosity he enquires after them of this Eye-witness of so many And as he was telling the King how he had restored the Dead to Life which to a meer natural Mind was altogether incredible therefore God's Providence so disposed of Matters as to bring in infallible Evidence of the Truth thereof so that Gehazi said This is the Woman and this is her Son c. Remark the Fifth The wonderful Effects of this Providence of God ver 6. Though Gehazi had told King Joram the Truth yet for his more full Assurance the King asks the Woman's self being present who confirm'd the Truth of Gehazi's Relation then the King was so affected with God's Power and Favour to her that he readily granted her request and could not but favour her whom God himself had so highly favoured The King calls for the High Steward of his House commands him to take Order that all be restored to her again yea the very Rents and Revenues of the past seven Years Famine saith Menochius so just was Joram here though unjust enough to his God as not to suffer any of his Courtiers to be enriched by the Calamity of a Woman and now supposed to be a Widow her Husband being Dead because we hear nothing of him here as in Chap. 4.13 14 c. He was then old Peter Martyr notes excellently here N.B. We see Elisha both present and absent is profitable to this his Hostess Now she could not but think that her Bed Table Stool and Candlestick were well bestowed upon such a Guest He is a Niggard to himself that narrows his Bounty to a Prophet whose very cold Water shall not pass unrewarded Matth. 10.42 The second Oracle of Elisha Recorded here which makes his fourth Oracle having foretold 1. Plenty in almost famish'd Samaria 2. The Death of the distrustful Lord. 3. The seven Years Famine Now this 4th Concerns the Death of Benhadad that wicked King of Syria a Pest to Israel c. Remark the First Elisha by Divine Direction now departs to Damascus the Metropolis of Syria ver 7. His Errand thither saith Peter Martyr was to anoint Hazael according to the Command of his Master Elijah 1 Kings 19.15 there he found Benhadad sick not of any Mortal Disease but Josephus tells us he was only sick of the Sullens fretting at the shameful flight of his huge Host from the Siege of Samaria caused only by a causeless fear whereat he was so sorely vexed that it makes him sick of the Fret c. there is a marvelous Sympathy betwixt the Body and the Mind saith Peter Martyr Remark the Second Benhadad being told Elisha was in Town whose many Miracles had made him famous even in Pagan Nations especially in Syria for his healing Naaman Chap. 5.13 14. for his discovering the Syrians Secret Counsels Chap. 6.12 and disappointing their Troops ver 20. Chap. 6. and putting to flight their Host from the Siege Chap. 7.6 7. all these things made this Man of God famous among them So sick Benhadad sends to Elisha ver 8. he sends not for him but sends the greatest Man in his Kingdom Hazael to him N.B. 'T is supposed this Hazael had the Place of Naaman who if not now Dead would not wage War against God's People and therefore was displaced and as Benhadad a great King thought it not below him to send not for but to a Prophet so nor Hazael a great Prince thinks himself undervalued to be the Messenger Both being desirous saith Peter Martyr of the Prophet's Prayer Remark the Third This great Prince must not go from a King to a Prophet empty-handed 1 Sam. 9.7 therefore saith the sick King to Hazael Take a present with thee c. ver 8. and it was a right Royal Present ver 9. even forty Camels Burden which will bear more than an Horse or an Ass of the choicest commodities of Damascus and surely that rich Countrey of Syria afforded abundance of pleasant and precious choice Commodities so that this present was more precious and nobler than that of Naaman Chap. 5.5 N.B. 1. What will not Kings and the greatest of Mortals spare for procuring Life and Health even all a Man hath said the old Lyar truly Job 2.4 By this rich Present Benhadad thought to purchase the Prophet's Prayers We are not told whether Elisha receiv'd it as he did that Chap. 4.42 but because the same Reason of his refusing Naaman's Present was still in force therefore 't is probable he receiv'd it not though Presents were wont to be presented to Prophets as above c. 1 Kings 14.3 N.B. 2. Behold how the Hearts of Kings are in the Hand of the Lord Prov. 21.1 the Lord changeth both the Words and the Hearts of Kings Dan. 3.28 this same Benhadad who before persecuted Elisha as an Enemy Chap. 6.13 14. doth now in his extremity Court him
which the Lord sent out of his Treasures Psalm 135.7 and out of his Fist Prov. 30.4 The Disciples met with a Tempest when they went in the way Christ compelled them to go Matth. 14.24 25 c. Luke 8.23 c. but this Storm meets Jonah when out of God's way and for his running from God this Runagate is at last cast into the Sea The Lord was the Author of this Punishment wherein he used three Instruments 1. A great Wind which God holdeth in his fist Prov. 30.4 weighs Winds in his hand Job 28.25 and sends them out as his Posts appointing them their Motions and Messages making them sometimes Messengers of mercy as Gen. 8.1 Exod. 14.21 Numb 11.13 and at other times Executioners of his Justice hurting Mens Houses Persons Corn and Cattle c. as Exod. 10.13 Job 1.29 yea hurrying and hurling the wicked out of their Houses into Hell at last Job 27.21 c. The Second Instrument was the deep Sea which is a restless rowling a tumbling troublesom thing of it self in its own Ebbings and flowings 't is never still tho' sometimes it may seem so how much more when it is tossed to and fro with a mighty Tempest as here ver 4. a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 8.23 a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matth. 14.24 an Euroclydon Acts 27.14 that beats upon all the Points of the Compass an Hurricane which Pliny calls Navigantium pestem the Mariners misery such boisterous and Blustering Winds must needs make the Sea beyond measure troublesom Psalm 107.23 24 25. c. Isa 57.20 1 Kings 22.48 and this noâ—doubt was no ordinary Tempest saith Calvin that so frighted the Mariners stout Fellows accustomed to Storms c. insomuch as they look upon themselves as lost they reckon the Ship must be broken c. The Third Instrument was the Seamen or Mariners which brings in Remark the Sixth Those fearless Men now fear Shipwrak ver 5. Death the King of Terrors Job 18.14 is a terror to Kings and to those bold daring hardy Men making them desire to escape the danger Mark 1st They prayed to their Pagan Gods they had several Deities according to their several Countries and though Seamen for the most part savour small of Sanctity yet this was a lesson of Dame Nature's teaching namely that 1. there is a God 2. this God must be called upon and 3. especially in Distress Psalm 107.27 28. such Fools as say in their Hearts there is no God Psalm 14.1 in a Calm will cry to God for help in a Storm Mark 2dly They unburden the Ship of her Cargo or Lading to lighten her that she might the better ride out the Storm Skin for Skin and all a Man hath will he give for his life Job 2.4 there the old Lyar spake a great Truth These Heathens handed over board their Goods for the saving of their Lives N. B. Oh that we could lose any thing for eternal Life and let all go but not our Blessing Christ go as Jacob Gen. 32 20. Mark 3dly The Ship-Master rouzeth up Jonah who was gone down into the sides of the Ship and was there fallen fast asleep that in case they had all mistaken the true God Jonah is awakened to call upon his God Alas such a sad uncertainty attendeth Pagan Idolatry that it caused the Pagans generally to close up their Prayers such as they were with that general Clause Dii Deaeque omnes ye Gods and Godesses all because they were ignorant who was the true Jehovah Their own Dunghil-Deities could do nothing for them when cryed unto in this dismal Distress they had mouths and spake not c. Psal 115.4 but Jehovah hath help for such as hope in him ver 9. therefore they call Jonah to cry to Jehovah ver 6. for none like him Jer. 10.6 Deut. 32.31 even in the Judgment of Enemies c. Remark the Seventh When the Mariners saw their first Means ineffectual that neither their own Gods would do any thing for them at their Prayers nor Jonah's God at his for his Sin was too strong for his Prayer Psalm 66.18 John 9.31 they resolve to try another Trick for saving their lives namely casting of Lots ver 7. perceiving some extraordinary Cause there was of this extraordinary Danger and so they put the Matter into God's hands who disposeth of Lots Prov. 16.33 when rightly in a way of trusting not rashly in a way of tempting God they are undertaken Calvin noteth here These Seamen seem'd in their own sight to be no Sinners or at least their sins were light sins and no way deserving such heavy Judgments therefore they inquire after the cause thereof as if themselves had all been innocent and though these poor Pagans did superstitiously cast Lots but not without a cogent Cause and Necessity saith Mercerus yet the Lord ordered the Lot to fall upon Jonah who was the best Man and the only Saint in the Ship as the principal cause and chief procurer of their present desperate danger Remark the Eight The Mariners judicial process against Jonah when his secret sin was by the All-seeing God discovered in ordering the Lot to fall upon him ver 8 9 10 11 12. Mark 1st They interrogate him 1. concerning his sin when thus signally singled out by the Lord the disposer of Lots saith Mercerus as if themselves had been Innocent Jonah confess'd not his sin until forced Sin had gagg'd him and Satan had muzzl'd his Mouth from that spiritual Vomit of making a free Confession unurg'd N. B. That old Man-slayer well knows that there is no way to purge the Soul of Sin but upward therefore holds he our lips close and makes us hide our Sin as Adam c. Job 31.33 until God being put to his proof doth press it out of us Jer. 2.35 Mark 2dly They ask him 2. His Occupation taking it for granted that every Man must maintain himself by some honest Employ Tarnovius tells us here that those Seamen suspected Jonah's sin was that he was some Idle Fellow following no lawful Calling or that he was some fraudulent Cheat or some filthy Extortioner therefore they asked him how he lived saith Grotius and whether he laboured the thing that was good Eph. 4.28 God will avenge 1 Thes 4.6 upon such disorderly Doers Mark 3dly They inquire 3. If he were not of some accursed Country saith Mercerus and one of the People of God's wrath as the Jews are at this day And Tarnovius adds That they were afraid he had committed some heinous Crime for which he fled his Country yet the harden'd Villain could sleep soundly when the Ship was ready to sink ver 6. The Philosopher said in the like Case 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Are we all in danger of Death and dost thou play the Fool This he said to one that was trifling as was Jonah sleeping as if making light of Shipwrack c. Mark 4thly Jonah's answer ver 9. wherein now his hard Heart was broken and his
thou Lord wilt not do so our Neighbour Nations will say we serve a bad Master c. Oh do not part with thy Purchase from Egypt and from Babylon so easily c. Mark 6. The Conclusion of his Prayer ver 11. He ends as he began ver 5. pleading the lowest degree of Grace was at least found in them namely They at least desired to fear God's Name therefore begs that God may not cast them off saith Wolphius as having nothing but an empty Title of God's People and that his Petition to the King might be made prosperous whom he calls this Man so much below God who had his Heart in his Hand Prov. 21.1 and he turn'd it c. Nehemiah CHAP. II. THIS Chapter gives an Account First How Nehemiah obtained a Commission from the King to rebuild the Walls of Jerusalem c. And Secondly How he improved that Royal leave against Opposition Remarks upon the First Part. As First See the sure Course this good Man took for Success He applies himself first to God by Prayer and afterwards He Addresses to the King with his Petition The Prayer of Faith founded upon the Covenant Grace as his was cannot easily miscarry 'T is granted it was long even above three Months from Chisleu Neh. 1. to Nisan Chap. 2.1 betwixt his Petition to God and this Petition to the King Reasons are rendred 1. His Turn to wait upon the King came not till the Month of March 2. He could not march so tedious a Journey in the deep of Winter 3. The King might be under some Indisposition or such Attendants were about him as were known Adversaries to the Jews so that Nehemiah could find no fit season for his Petition presenting until now that his Design might not be disappointed Or 4. And that chiefly he thought fit that some considerable Time might be spent in seeking God for success in so weighty an Affair both by himself and some of his Brethren in Prayer and Fasting Remark the Second The fit opportunity that he found was at a Feast ver 2 6. where the Queen was present whom A Lapide reckons with many more Learned Men to be Queen Esther and Menochius makes Mordecai also to be a Guest at this Feast which if so must needs give Nehemiah a fair opportunity to Petition freely but his heavy Heart discover'd by a sad Countenance had like to have spoil'd all in his handing Wine to the King ver 2. N.B. For King's generally are made Merry by Musicianers and Jesters and more especially the Persian Kings for no Mourner might be seen in Ahasuerus's Court Esth 4.4 but this good Man had been Macerating his Body and Afflicting his Soul for some Months as above hence it was that he could not have any blithe Aspect which the King being a Prudent Man and a Loving Master soon observed N. B. Masius makes an odd Construction upon the King's Question Why is thy Countenance sad c The King was Jealous he had put some Poison into his Wine and that the Malice of his Mind was discovered by the sadness of his Countenance Vulius est index Animi the Face is an Indication of the Heart And that which increased the King's Jealousie was that Nehemiah saith Menochius refused from his sadness to Tast to that Wine he handed to the King though the Office of the King's Taster requir'd him to do so This Suspicion of Treason in the King made Nehemiah fore afraid saith Wolphius but necessity of obeying saith Tirinus overcame his fear Remark the Third Nehemiah's Answer to the King's Question concerning the Cause of his sad Countenance ver 3. after he had recover'd his Courage both from former Grief and present Fear He saith says Sanctius It is so far from me to have any Treasonable Design against thy Life that I pray for its length in the Land of the Living Let the King live for ever or very long therefore thou need not suspect my sadness which in Truth hath another Cause namely the common Calamity of the City of his Fathers Sepulchres laying waste at this Time Grotius well observeth he speaks not one Word of the Temple of Religion or Worship wisely considering that he spake to a Pagan King and before such Courtiers who like Gallio Acts 18.17 Cared for none of those things but of his Fathers Sepulchres which all Nations accounted Sacred and Honourable and no less than a piece of Sacrilege to Annoy or Demolish them and which would not be avoided so long as the Gates thereof lay waste Remark the Fourth The King became willing to redress the true Cause of his Cup-bearer's great Grief assoon as he understood it ver 4. saying For what dost thou make Request This put Nehemiah to Prayer again after his much Praying in Chap. 1. not now by turning aside into some secret Place but by darting up saith Grotius an Ejaculatory Desire which was express'd before God by himself Grant me Mercy Lord in the sight of this Man Chap. 1.11 N.B. Thus ought we to begin our Petitions to Kings with Prayers to God And thus with hearty Ejaculations we may Pray always continually and without ceasing Eph. 6.18 Col. 4.2 1 Thess 5.17 If we do but thus dart up our Desires from a sincere Heart and enflamed Affections at all times in all places and upon all occasions when we are alone or in Company or in working any lawful Work Thus Moses cryed to God yet spake nothing Exod. 14.15 so Hannah was not heard and yet she prayed 1 Sam. 1.13 and thus Nehemiah here that God would direct his own Tongue and incline the King's Heart saith Menochius Such sudden Prayers heartily and frequently used argue an Heavenly Heart and an Holy Familiarity of Men with God and a Conversation in Heaven Phil. 3.20 Remark the Fifth Nehemiah then Petitions the King after he had thus prayed to God ver 5. Wherein Mark 1. Though he was an high Favourite at Court above many Nobles not betrusted with the King's Life as he was yet pleads he not his own Merit but only the King's Mercy saying If it please thee c. Mark 3. Nor doth he Petition for any higher Office at Court as many ambitious Courtiers so great a Favourite of the King as he was would have done under his Circumstances c. Mark 3. But only send me as thy Commissioner into Judah not absolutely saying to rebuild the City saith Sanctius but only the City of his Fathers Sepulchres which repeated Expression saith Menochius denoteth that the Care of Antient Sepulchres was a commendable Custom highly accounted off among the Persians Mark 4. He humbly proposeth this Request wrapping it up in modest Insinuations of acquiescing in the King's Will and Wisdom pleading his former Favours as a Pledge of Future and further c. Remark the Sixth The King grants his Request ver 6. which was God's Answer to Nehemiah's Prayer Chap. 1.11 and here ver 4. Love is Liberal and Charity is no
many Vndertook to write it Luke 1.1 yet was it fit work for none but for the Four Evangelists who were all extraordinarily qualified by Divine Inspiration for that High Enterprize and were Eye-witnesses of those great Truths which They do distinctly yet coherently Record concerning Christ Hereupon though others Attempted yet none Effected it save these Four who 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Took it in hand Matthew wrote his Gospel Eight years after Christ Mark Ten Luke Fifteen and John forty two According to the common opinion from the most Antient Copies Whoever writes the Life of our Lord Jesus must light their Lamp at this Golden Candlestick having these four flaming Candles all lighted by Fire from Heaven To fetch any feigned Stories of Christ not founded upon Gospel-Evidence from other fabulous Authors is but a speaking wickedly for God and talking deceitfully for Him Job 13.7 As my Design is to Avoid this latter so my Desire is to Observe the former In this Essay I shall shift off and shun the cunningly Devised Fables Artificially compiled and composed not without some shew of Wisdom and Truth such as the Romanists lying Legends abound withal It being but a laborious loss of Time to search into such Things whereof we can have neither Proof nor Profit the Gains will not pay for the Pains And the Task about Toys can never be worthy the Toil 1 Tim. 4.7 2 Tim. 4.4 Tit. 1.14 and 2 Pet. 1.16 I shall therefore keep close to the more sure word ver 19. Scripture Authority N. B. The Life of the Lord Jesus hath a manifold preheminency Col. 1.18 above the best Lives of the choicest and chiefest of all mortal men in many respects As First The Life which Christ lived upon Earth was not only a Godly Life but it was a Life without the least praevarication from the Rule This Immaculate Lamb did lead such an Immaculate Life that he challeng'd his most Critical Adversaries to convince him of any one sin John 8.46 c. Secondly The Life of Christ was not only a Godly Life in compleat Universal Obedience to the Commands of God but it was the very Life of God 'T is said of some men that they are Alienated from the Life of God Eph. 4.18 that is They cannot live a Godly Life because they do not partake of the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.4 not having the Image of God Imprinted on them nor the Life of God Imparted to them But 't is said expresly that Christ's Life was God manifested in the Flesh 1 Tim. 3.16 and that Christ is the express Image of God's Person and the Brightness of His Glory Heb. 1.3 The Father and the Son are called Equals in the Greek Plural Phil. 2.6 that is every way Equal in Being Life and Operation Christ is Alius from the Father not aliud yet Co-essential and Co-equal not a secondary Inferior God as Arrius saith Thirdly That Christ led not only the Godly Life of a mere Man but also the Godly Life of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God-Man So he had a Duplication of a Godly-Life both that of an Holy God and that also of an Holy Man and both in purity and perfection Fourthly Christ lived in his Humane Nature not only a single Temporal Godly Life upon Earth like that of a Godly Man to wit from his Birth to his Burial but even a Double one also to wit from his Resurrection to his Ascension beside that of Eternal Life in the same Nature in Heaven Fifthly Over and Above all These may be added That the Godly Life which Christ led upon Earth as the Son of Man was the light of Men John 1.4 His Life was a Lovely and Lively Looking Glass for all men to Dress themselves by in their Generation-Work both of Doing God's Work and of suffering God's Will The Life of Christ is the most perfect pattern of all True Piety for our Practice and Imitation We must all learn of him Mat. 11.29 and we should walk as he walked 1 John 2.6 From hence naturally ariseth this great Fundamental and most Evangelical Divine Truth That The most Sanctimonious Life of our Lord Jesus Christ is the light the Lanthorn and Law whereby all Men Women and Children ought to be Directed in all parts both of Active and Passive obedience while they live in this lower World They must all live as their Lord lived For the further and fuller Illustration of the light Hereof let me call in besides those two Texts aforementioned to wit Mat. 11.29 and 1 John 2.6 Hereafter Amplified other corroborating Scriptures As First It is expresly asserted by the Apostle Peter that the life of Christ was the leaving us an Example 1 Pet. 2.21 the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies a Copy to write after A Samplar to work by and the most perfect pattern to Regulate our steps in walking the good ways of God Secondly The Apostle Paul affirmeth that whom God doth foreknow them he doth Praedestinate to be conformed to the Image of his Son c. Rom. 8.29 Now this Conformity to Christ is extensive 1. To his Holiness and Diligence in Doing his Father's work He must be about it Luke 2.49 and it was Meat and Drink to Him to be so employed John 4.34 2. To his Humility and Patience in suffering his Father's Will Mat. 26.39 and thus the same Apostle was Ambitious to become conformable to Christ's Death as well as to his Life Phil. 3.10 And 3. To his Happiness and Glory in Heaven as the Wages of that Double work on Earth which also was the Top-branch of the same Apostle's Ambition That His Body might be fashioned like the glorious body of Christ which is the principal Standard of Glory Phil. 3.21 1 Cor. 15.20 49 c. Thirdly Our Lord Jesus himself saith That He hath given us an Example for doing as he hath done c. John 13.15 The Greek word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies a pointing out our way to us and therefore are we so oft bid to Follow Him and if we be Right Followers of Christ we must Tread in the same Foot-steps of Christ In so Doing we shall find that his footsteps drop fatness for us to gather up for the fatning of our Souls Psal 65.11 And if we be Disciples of Christ we must learn of Him to be lowly and Meek c. Mat. 11.29 we must learn to be Holy as He was 1 Pet. 1.15 and pâ—re as He 1 John 3.3 and the same mind must be in us that was in Christ Phil. 2.5 act as a Picture resembles a Man in outward Lineaments only but as a Child his Father in Inward Dispositions also for Christ is our Father Isa 9.6 And thus are we bid to Preach forth the Praises Vertues and Graces of Christ as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies 1 Pet. 2.9 Our Lives should be as so many Sermons upon Christ's Life while we strive to express Him to the World
in all His Imitable Excellencies Our suitable Holy practice is the bese sort of Preaching forth Christ's praise The Image of this our Dearest Friend should not only be Hung up in the Private Closets of our Hearts but also in the most Conspicuous places of our Lives This is to walk in Christ Col. 2.6 not daring to take so much as one step out of Him who is the way to walk in the Truth to walk with and the Life to walk by John 14.6 And this is to walk as he walked treading in and following his Holy footsteps If we abide in him 1 John 2.6 In this General Discourse upon the Life of Christ there be three things next to be Discussed The Caution Counsel and Comfort hereof First The Caution It may not be Imagined unnecessary to build some Battlements about this lofty structure to secure Children and Fools from Toppling and Tumbling over Know then that the Actions of Christ's Life are of three sorts 1. Miraculous 2. Moral And 3. Mediatory As to the First which were Miraculous They are not set down in Scripture as Actions Imitable by us poor Mortals for some of them were personal as of the World's Redeemer Thus was he born of a Virgin which we cannot be He suffered upon the Cross for the World's Ransom and for Sin 's Expiation which we cannot Do. Nor can we Rise again the third Day as He did for our Justification and Ascended Triumphingly into Heaven lead Captivity Captive c. wherein we cannot Immitate Christ Those and such like were our Redeemer's Personal Actions and peculiar only to him as Incommunicable to any other There be other Actions of Christ beside those Personal which are not only Praeter-natural but also Supernatural As were His Fasting Forty Days His Giving sight to the Blind Life to the Dead c. Now for any Mortal to presume an Imitation of Christ in the Former of these is no better than Blasphemy These were the proper Prerogatives of Christ's Person And for any man to strive as presuming to follow Him in the Latter which were all Miraculous is a mere Impossibility Christ did such works as never any Man did Joh. 9.32 Therefore we are no where bid to make a new World to walk on the Sea c. as he did Secondly Next to Christ's Miraculous both Personal and Supernatural are his Moral Actions to be considered And these we are to Imitate our Lord in He commands us to learn from him the right Practice of those two Twin-Sister-Graces of Meekness and Lowliness Mat. 11.29 and to follow his very footsteps in the practick part of his Holy Life Christ is the Head of the Church which is the Body Eph. 1.22 23. Now as the Body Natural follows the Head naturally so ought the Body Mystical to follow Christ Spiritually in all his Morals though not in any of his Miracles especially in those two Moral Vertues or rather Evangelical Graces Meekness and Lowliness which so walk hand in hand together as they are there call'd Christ's Yoke The Yokes that the Flesh the World and the Devil lay upon Mankind are manifold but Christ's Yoke is but one not many All Gospel-Duties are reducible to one single Head Rom. 10.9 that is to Faith which worketh by Love Gal. 5.6 There is but one main Duty and this is the Whole Duty of Man Eccles 12.13 which hath Two Objects and Two Offices The two Objects be God and Man The Grace of Lowliness giveth to God his Due and the Grace of Meekness giveth also to Man his Due And the Two Offices do concern the Debt as the two Objects do the Due for Lowliness gives and Meekness forgives the Debt Both these in conjunction make up Christ's Yoke as one which while it is Green and we be unaccustomed to the Yoke Jer. 31.18 seems Heavy but when this Yoke of Christ comes to be Dryed Tryed and Worn a while then it proves Easie as Christ calls it Mat. 11.30 and very Light after a Man is once used a little to it though perhaps He cannot fadge so well with it at the first 't is then no more a Burden than Wings are to a Bird wherewith she flies aloft when and whither she listeth That which maketh this Yoke of Christ easie is that Christ beareth up the heaviest part of it upon his own Shoulders as He did the cross-burdensome end of his own Cross when Simon the Cyrenian bore only the Lower and Lighter end upon his Shoulders after Jesus Luke 23.26 And Christ gives his Spirit to help our Infirmities in all those Duties which He Himself Acted in his own Person for our Instruction and Imitation Hereby come we up to Delight in doing the Will of God Psal 40.8 This main Duty of Man is yet a Yoke lest any should Presume but still 't is a light and easie Yoke lest any should Despair This confuteth Carnal-Gospellers on the one Hand and the Monkish Merit-Mongers on the other hand assuredly our Lord Jesus by passing through all the parts of Active and Passive Obedience hath made all Gospel duties both easie Imitable and Delectable too now no command of God is grievous 1 John 5.3 c. N. B. Thus a serious Meditation upon the Meekness of Christ did most powerfully convert the Aethiopian Eunuch Acts 8.32 33 c. And we read of an Earl call'd Eleazar who being oft overcome with Immoderate Anger was cured of that Head-strong Passion and Inordinate Affection by his sedulous studying upon the Patience of Christ which consideration He never suffer'd to pass out of his meditating and musing mind before He found his Heart transformed into his Saviour's Similitude as Surius who writes this Earl's Lise tells the Story of this Passionate Prince Thirdly The Actions of Christ are not only Miraculous and Moral but also Mediatory as Christ's Dying Rising again and Ascending c. As we ought to Imitate Christ in his Moral Works by a Real Doing and Suffering as we have Him for Our Example So must we imitate him in his Mediatory Works by way of Similitude This is done by Translating that to our Spiritual Life which He did as our Mediator That is we must Dye to Sin Live to Righteousness Ascend up to God with our Desires and Sit down at his Right Hand with our Affections Besides this There is a Conformity to him in the framing of our Inward and Spiritual Life which consists not in a doing what Christ did upon the Cross c. but in Doing the like by a certain kind of imitation As 1. As Christ resign'd up himself an offering with strong Prayer and Tears c. so should we give up our selves to God as a Spiritual Oblation and as a Reasonable Sacrifice Ps 40.8 and Rom. 12.1 2. As He bare his own Cross c. so ought we to bear ours Luke 9.24 If it lays 'twixt us and our Duty 3. We must be like Him in Crucifying and Mortifying the Cursed Body of Sin as was done
Ministers of Christ that Torment their Evil Consciences calling Christ the Holy One of God Luke 434. N.B. Notewell While the Pope with needs be called the Most Holy he lifts up himself above Christ and Antichrist herein becomes worse than the Devil Though the Devil thus confessed Christ yet Christ muzzled him and dispossess'd him through his Soveraignty over him he is but under a Reprieve c. The Second Remarkable Miracle Christ wrought there at his own City as Capernaum is call'd Mat. 9 1. where he not only Hired and House but also wore the stole or long Gown of a Citizen was the Healing of Peter's Wives Mother of a Fever Mat. 8. â—4 15. Mark 1.29 30 31. and Luke 4.38 39. Christ came from the Synagogue-Service to Dine at Peter's House c. which affords these following Marks 1. Christ's Practice approves of a Sabbath-Day Dinner N.B. Notwell This distinguishes a day of Thanksgiving as every Lords Day ought to be for our Redemption from a day of Humiliation 2. That Peter had a Wife and all the Apostles saith Ambrose had Wives save only John and Paul but if John were the Bridegroom in the Marriage Feast at Cana as is abovesaid then had he his Bride also and Paul likewise had a Power to lead about a Sister Wife as well as the other Apostles 1 Cor. 9.5 Yet those Pope-Holy Hypocrites the pretended Successors of Peter deny the lawfulness of Ministers Marriages as a Defilement though it be one with them to have many Harlots These Popelings are condemned and cursed by their own Cannon-Law Distinct 29 31. Acts and Monuments Fol. 1008. by Paphnutius that famous Primitive Confessor in the Nicene Council By Ignatius Scholar to the Evangelist John who pronounceth all such as call Marriage a Defilement to be possess'd with that old Dragon the Devil Epist ad Philadelph But above all by the Apostle who saith Marriage is Honourable to all and the undefiled Bed is True Chastity Heb. 13.4 3. This good Women Peter's Wife's Mother was sick of a Fever call'd by the Greeks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Burning from the heat that is in it And the Germans call in the Shaking as we do from the Cold in that Distemper N.B. Note well They whom Christ Loves may be sick John 11.3 his Love and our Sickness are not Inconsistent 4. Christ heal'd her with a touch of his Hand Hippocrates and Galen with all their Citò Tutò Jacunde c. could never find such an easie and speedy cure here a word and a touch only do the Deed in an instant without long Diet-Drinks and many tedious Evacuation 5. Christ can turn us to destruction and then say return Psal 90.3 and when we are Dead to our selves and others He can speak Life to us and keep us from going down into the Pit Psal 30.3 6. This Handmaid of the Lord thus signally healed arose and ministred to Christ whereby not only the Truth of the Miracle was evinced but also the Truth of her Thankfulness was evidenced which likewise is a demonstration of an honest and good heart thus to pay the Redemption of her Life of God Exod 21.30 c. The Third Remark is There also He healed all manner of Diseases and Dispossessed Devils with his word Mat 8.16 Not suffering those Evil Spirit to speak because they knew him Mark 1.34 Luke 4.41 This was done at evening Hence Note 1. Christ's diligence in doing his Father's work In the morning he Sowed his Seed and in the evening he with held not his Hand Eccles 11.6 He was a President for Preaching twice a Day in the Forenoon and Afternoon Mat. 13.1 The same Day after convincing the Pharisees He Preached again to his Disciples 2. Christ suffer'd not Devils to speak of him He had better Witnesses than they and what Call or Warrant had they to Preach The Gospel 3. To an Almighty Physician no Disease can be Incurable Christ heal'd all manner and none went away without healing Exod. 15.26 Psal 103.3 4. Capernaum was a place lifted up to Heaven with means to Grace and with Miracles of Mercy 'T was a City highly blest with Christ's frequent presence Dwelling there Mat. 4.13 Taught there John 6.59 and oft returned Thither from his uttering Oracles and working Miracles in other Cities Mat. 8.5 17.24 Mark 1.21 2.1 Luke 7.1 9.33 John 2.12 6.24 yet is it doomed by the Judge of the World to be cast down to Hell Mat. 11.23 Luke 10.15 He saith that Sodom shall suffer less than Capernaum for its Infidelity in setting so light by his Grace though it even kneeled down to them wooing acceptance as 2 Cor. 5.20 was in some respect a worse Sin than Sodomy and hath a heavier doom abiding it though they that suffer least in Hell suffer more than they can either Abide or Avoid The Destruction of those Cities should be for Instruction to our Cities which have been likewise lifted up to Heaven by Means and Mercies know we not that a misimprovement of them c. will provoke God to thrust us down to Hell with Violence and with a vengeance Alterius Perditio tua fit cantio Take Example or God will make thee an Example Herodotus the Heathen could say of the Destruction of Troy That National and Notorious Sins bring down National and Notorious Plagues from a Sin-Revenging God As to Christ's Pilgrimage it was prodigious for some reckon the Travels of Christ from his Infancy to his Ascension and compute them to be 3093 Miles beside general Visits and Journey hither and thither which If all were Recorded the World would not contain them John 21.25 and 20.30 c. CHAP. IX HAving thus far observed the Order of Place in those three most observable Perambulations of Christ over all Galilee Preaching in every Synagogue the Towns thorough Mark 1.39 Mat. 4 23. and Luke 4.44 though his Fellow Citizens of Capernaum would have stay'd him that he should not depart from them ver 42. would to God we could do so in this City Let us now look a little more narrowly into the Order of Time in the Life of Christ which Mark and Luke especially Matthew do not observe but is more strictly observed by the Evangelist John who measures out Christ's Publick Life by four Jewish yearly Passovers The first Passover John Records is John 2.12 13. saying that when Christ went down to Capernaum from Nazareth with his Mother Brethren and some few Disciples to dwell there the Jews Passover was at hand when this came the first half year of Christs Minister from his Baptism was expired thence-forward hath Christ but three years more to live which this Evangelist reckoneth by three more yearly Passovers to wit John 5.1 and John 6.4 John 18.28 In this first half year Christ had passed thorough his forty Days Temptation had gathered some few Disciples and had Perambulated Galilee unto which time those wonderful works of Christ in
touching Dan. 10.9 10 16 18. N.B. Note well We need frequent touches from the hand of Christ to cure our crooked paths and spirits even every Lord's day c. The Fifth Remark is 'T is a comfort in suffering that though it may be long even twelve years Mat. 9.20 or eighteen years Luke 13.11 or thirty eight years John 5.5 6. yet our compassionate Saviour doth Judge that the Sons and Daughters of Abraham ought at length to be loosed from their long lasting sufferings Luke 13.16 N. B. Note well Oh that every Sabbath some Soul may be loosed from Satan to heal them of the Dropsie or drought after worldly Vanities and Villanies with a draught of the Water of Life Luke 14.2 4. and oh that the Church may be loosed to go forth Mal. 4.2 then shall all Adversaries of Christ and his Church be silenced and be ashamed Luke 13.4 4.4 CHAP. XIV Christ's Sermon on the Mount THE next mighty works of Christ to be discoursed of fall out in order of time after he had Preached his most famous Sermon upon the Mount of Capernaum such as were his healing the Centurion's Servant the raising up to Life the Widows Son at Naim c. 'T is said the Multitude of Disciples praised God with a loud Voice for all the mighty works that they had seen Luke 19.37 and Christ's own countrymen wondred whence he had all that wisdom and those mighty works Mat. 13.54 they sordidly and satanically surmised that he had his skill by ill Arts yea they said he works his wonders by the Black-Art surely he never came to all this honour honestly and in God's Name N.B. Note well We Ministers must not think much to be miscensured and misconstrued seeing Christ himself was so c. but Herod's perplexed Conscience hamper'd him into a better frame to wit into a tho' a faint and fruitless desire to see Jesus Luke 9.9 because he heard of many mighty works were wrought by his hands Mat. 14.2 yet would never stir out of Doors to see Christ perhaps he only desired to see whether he were John Baptist raised from the Dead yet both the Jews and the Blind man give a better Testimony that Christ's Miracles were such mighty works as neither they nor their forefathers had ever seen the like never since they had been the People of God Mark 2.12 and never since the World began were ever the like done John 9.32 Therefore saith he Christ must be God because he had given sight to him that was born blind against the course of nature beyond all the power of art v. 33. Thus the works which Christ wrought bore testimony of him John 5.36 10.25 13.8 14.11 Christ wrought such works as never any man did John 15.24 Christ's works were more stupendous for the manner because wrought by his own power and all for Peoples profit N. B. Note well Though greater works he promis'd to be done by his Apostles for the matter John 14.12 as converting 3000 Souls at one Sermon reducing a great part of the World to the Obedience of Christ c. yet were their works less than those Christ did in two respects 1. They wrought not their works in their own names but in the name of Christ 2. Nor Did any of the Apostles Preach up himself to be God as Christ did but they Preached Christ the only Lord and themselves the Churches Servants for Jesus sake So that Christ was the only Thaumaturgus or Wonder-worker this is attested by Josephus the Jew and confessed by Mahomet himself Hereupon it was disputed in the Roman Senate using to Delfie Great men whether Christ should be received among the number of their Gods for his having done so many wonderful works but the debate ended in the negative because Christ Preach'd up Poverty and lived in the practice of it for which the World hated him and they said Poverty can never have many Proselytes to it for all do decline it When Christ had Preached any Sermons to the People he customarily back'd and confirm'd them with his Miracles which some compute to the number of thirty four corresponding with the years of his Natural Life others do reckon them to be fifty seven something suitable to his supposed Age John 8.57 He had so macerated his Body with pains and fastings that the Pharisees did suppose him to be much elder than he was when he was not much more than thirty Luke 3.23 they judg'd him by his grave countenance to be about fifty But omitting the number of his Miracles let us proceed to discourse upon the Nature of them beside those aforementioned that Christ wrought to back his Sermon upon the Mount where a Mountain was his Pulpit and the whole Law was his Text. As Moses went up to the Mount to receive 〈◊〉 Law so did the Messias to explain it and only such Hearts as are mounted Heavâ— ward have an Universal respect to it Psal â—9 6 Sursum corda up with yeâ— Hearts c. This Mount-Sermon is call'd Catechistical Mat. chapters 5 6 7. declareâ— the qualifications of those that aim at Blessedness and the Means that lead up to it the Blessings were to be pronounced upon Mount Gerizzim Deut. 27.12 and the Curses upon Mount-Ebal ver 13. yet the Blessings are not mentioned as the Curses are In that Chapter because we must look for the Blessings from the Messias not from Mâ—ses for Christ was sent to bless both Jew and Gentile Acts 3.26 The Curse come by the Law Gal. 3.10 but the Blessing of Grace came by the Gospel John 1.17 Therefore Christ stands here as upon Mount-Gerizzim on this Mount of Capernaum to pronounâ—e those eight beatitudes sweetly Harmonizing with that of Deuteronomy here and Lâ—â—â— also addeth that Christ also Denounced Woes as if he had stood upon Mount-Bâ—â— also Luke 6.20 25 to v. 30. Blessed be the Poor the Hungry c. but Woe to the Rich the Full c. Christ proceeds to lay forth the latitude of the Law shewing its Extent to Thoughts as well as Deeds c. contrary to the corrupt Glosses of Jewish Traditions whereby they had made the Law of no effect whereupon he Divinely Damneth their cursed constructions and prescribeth many Christian Duties in Doctrines of Faith and Manners to attain Eternal Life c. no sooner had this Great Oracle of Divine Truth delivered this long and lively Sermon as was his last when he left the World John Câ—â—â—ters 14 15 16 17. but he confirms his Oracles with some Miracles as with healing â—â—e Centurion's Servant and raising to Life the Dead Son of a Widow at Naim 〈◊〉 above hinted c. This the Evangelist Luke clearly demonstrates giving an account of the Heads of this Mount-Sermon Luke 6.20 c. and then makes this transition When he had ended all his Sayings or Oracles then did he back his Doctrines immediately with these two Miracles Luke 7.1 the former is related from ver 1
Jericho's City with the blasts thereof Josh 6.4 5 c. So the Weapons of the Word in the Ministry though weak seemingly as those Priests Trumpets and in respect of the Flesh yet are they Mighty through God and his Spirit for pulling down the strong bolds of Satan and for casting down Imaginations c. 2 Cor. 10.4 5. As the Fasting Spittle that cometh out of Man's Mouth is said to kill Serpents so doth that which proceedeth out of the Mouths of God's faithful Ministers quell and kill evil Thoughts and carnal Reasonings which are that Legion of Domestick Devils that hold a constant correspondency and intimate intelligence with the Old Serpent in us This weak Word is made strong to overthrow captivate and subdue a sinful Soul into the obedience of Christ and of that small Seed arise those goodly Trees of Righteousness which are not of the Devils but of the Lord 's Planting and Watering Isa 61.3 The Second Congruity is As Seed must be Harrowed into the Earth it must be cast not only on but into the ground Mar. 4.26 so the Word must be hid in the Heart Psal 119.11 or it will not fructifie Job 22.22 23. Thus as David so Mary kept all pondering in her Heart Luke 2.19 when the Word is well covered with a moisty Moul in the hidden Man of the Heart it takes Root downward and springeth in Branches upward first the Blade then the Ear after that the full Corn Mark 4.28 were but our Minds as the Holy Ark wherein were hid the two Tables of God's Testimony and our Memories as Aaron's Golden Pot wherein was kept the Heavenly Manna Heb. 9.4 Rev. 2.17 preserving Divine Truths of the Gospel and remarkable occurrencies of Providence God would bless our buds Isa 44.3 while we strive to better that Blessing The first springings in the Womb of Grace are precious to God Ephes 2.1 The Third Parallel is As Seed requires a good Soil without which though never so good in it self it cannot be successful So the Word unless received into an Honest and Good Heart Luke 8.15 proves unprosperous Oh that our Hearts may be as Isaac's Soil Gen. 26.12 to bring forth an hundred fold The Fourth Parallel is Though Seed be sown in a good Soil yet no success can be expected without Heaven's Influence Hos 2.21 22. nothing but an Harvest of Weeds can be had when God Rains no Rain upon it Isa 5.6 c. Thus though Paul Plant and Apollos Water yet all is nothing If God give not the Increase 1 Cor. 3.6 7. without this Men will rush on in their own Sins and run Headlong to Hell though great be the Company of good Preachers Psal 68.11 The Fifth Parallel is As the Hope of a good Harvest lies potentially in the Seed that is sown so doth Eternal Life in the Word that is preached Rom. 1.16 This honour is given to that Ordinance above others As the Rain from Heaven hath a greater fatness and a more peculiar fructifying Vertue in it than any other standing or running Waters on Earth so there is not the like life found in any other means of Grace as in this which like Goliah's Sword hath none like it for Converting Work Secondly The Disparity As 1. This is not Corruptible Seed 1 Pet. 1.23 2 'T is not for food to the Body but to the Soul Angels food that nourishes up to to Eternal Life 3. This brings forth the best Harvest where Angels shall be Reapers and the Joy of the Harvest is Everlasting Vse I. Is there any Seed of God in you though but as a Grain of Mustard-seed very little yet if true God looks at Truth more than Measure If born from above or again John 3.3 and the Heart be sound in God's Statutes Psal 119.80 having the spirit of a sound Mind 2 Tim. 1.7 the Acorn now may become an Oak in time a small beginning may have at latter end a greater Increase Job 8.7 It may be you have not vast Heards and Flocks of Graces to offer unto God as Solomon did 1 Kin. 8.63 yet may have a Lamb to send unto the Ruler of the People Isa 16.1 Jacob in a time of scarcity had not much to send as a present to the Lord over the Land of Egypt yet he bids Take a little of each the best of the best Gen. 43.11 Though Nehemiah had not his three thousand Talents of Gold of the Gold of Opher nor his seven thousand Talents of refined Silver as David had to Beautifie the Temple with 1 Chron. 29.4 yet had he a thousand Drams of Gold c. to give for Repairing the Temple Neh. 7.71 and his Drams were acceptable as well as David's Talents For if there be first a willing Mind it is accepted according to that he hath and not according to that he hath not 2 Cor. 8.12 The Lord looks more at the willingness of the Offerer than at the worthiness of the Offering Artaxerxes was exceedingly affected with an handful of Water which one of his Common Souldiers brought him because it was the best present in his power to procure Oh that sweet Gospel in the Law but if he be not able to bring a Lamb c. Lev. 5.7 or two Turtles ver 11. let him bring the Tenth part of an Ephah And if he be not able and cannot get so much let him bring such as he is able to get Lev. 14.21 22. Goats Hair was accepted for the Tabernacle as well as better things Exod. 25.3 4 c. so was the Widows Mite for the Treasury Mark 12.41 to 44. Pence be accepted where Pounds are not and Drams where Talents are not and sure I am a dram of saving Grace is better than a pound of Notional knowledge Vse 2. Ask your hearts those sew questions about this Seed though but small Mat. 13.31 17.20 Mark 4.31 Luke 13.19 First Are any Furrows prepared in your Hearts for the Reception of this Holy Seed Have you had compunctions in Vend Cordis Acts 2.37 making you cry out What shall we do to be Saved Unless your Hearts be Plowed with Gods Heifer as Judg. 14.18 to see the eagerness of others for Heaven will be a Riddle you understand not Secondly Hath this Sower cast his Seed into these prepared Furrows Man may forfeit or neglect his Sowing season but this Sower cannot do so for all seasons are the Lord's first Furrows are prepared then the Seed is sown both in their season not by any natural power it pertains to the power of the World to come Thirdly How hath that Holy Seed succeeded after Sowing One may taste of the Power of the World to come in the Word of God Heb. 6.5 yet bring not forth an Harvest of Holiness without which notwithstanding all bedewings that soak not deep enough no harvest of happiness can be expected Heb. 12.14 c. The Third Part is the Soil Wherein First the Congruity As First much ground lyes fallow where the Plow
this discourse with his Disciples was in the Ship as they sailed to Bethsaida Mark 8.22 where they bring him a blind Man to heal him of his Blindness In which Miracle are these short Remarks 1. As soon as Christ had cured his Disciples of their blindness of Mind in the Ship he comes to Bethsaida to heal this Man of the blindness of his Body In the former he put forth a Beam of his Divine Wisdom and in the latter a Beam of his Divine Power 2. Those bringers of the blind Man besought Christ to touch him Mark 8.22 they believed a touch with Christ's hand would open his blind Eyes The like healing Touch Naaman the Syrian expected 2 Kings 5.13 N.B. Note well Thus should we bring our Blind to Christ and beseech him to heal them 3. Christ took him by the hand ver 23. to lead him which he might have bid his Friends that brought him thither still to do but he did it himself to shew he is the best Leader of the Blind N. B. Note well And that we should as he did hold it an honour and a pleasure to do men in misery any office of Courtesie 4. Christ led him out of the Town as holding the Inhabitants whom he had upbraided for Contumacy c. before Mat. 11.21 unworthy to behold the cure therefore must it be done at the Towns end They must not have the favour to be Eye-witnesses of his mighty Miracles they had sinned it away by their unthankfulness God grant we may not do so The 5th Remark is He spit upon his Eyes and put his hands upon them This Collyrium or Eye-Balsom c. sometime he used to heal the Blind with together with other Gestures and Actions and sometimes not Mark 7.33 and here they are used not in Mark 10.52 but John 9.6 they are to shew that he healed by his Almighty Power beyond the course and order of Nature either with means or without at his own pleasure and so in an instant or successively as here Hence The 6th Remark is The Lord here takes time in working this Miracle by the first Touch he made him see Men like Trees not much unlike that in Judges 9.36 having yet but a dim sight whereby he discerned the motion better than the form of Men But Christ's second Touch made him see every Man clearly not because he could not perfect his cure with the first Touch or must have more time for it seeing by his Omnipency he could have cured him without either Touch or Time even in a moment as he did Blind Bartimeus Mark 10.52 And though he made an Opthalmick of Clay and Spittle c. for him that was born blind yet was he healed at once John 9.6 7. but this Man gradually N.B. Note well To teach us our Spiritual Illumination is done by degrees and not all at one instant 1 Cor. 13.12 The 7th Remark is Christ would not vouchsafe that ungrateful Town the benefit of one more Preacher though never so mean Mark 8.26 This was a greater Judgment on them than if he had turn'd into some other Channel that Arm of the Sea that brought in so much Wealth to them he had already call'd out of Bethsaida those that belong'd to him and now no longer will he strive with her perverseness Now Christ turns his back upon Bethsaida which had turned their backs upon the Doctrine and Miracles from him and his Disciples three of which at least he had taken from thence to be the Lights of the World John 1.44 c. yet those very Apostles their Towns-men could do no good on them for they loved darkness better than light John 3.19 And seeing they had seen his healing the Sick cleansing the Lepers and raising the Dead yet did not they repent Mat. 11.20 therefore we hear no more of Bethsaida but Christ went from thence to Cesarea Philippi before he went into Judea to finish his Ministry by his Passion which now approached His last Miracle at Bethsaida in healing the blind Man out of the Town is Recorded only by the Evangelist Mark but the Confession of the Apostles and of Peter who Christ was in his passage to this Caesarea Philippi is Recorded at large in Mat. 16.13 c. and Mark 8.27 c. and Luke 9.18 c. there more briefly in both these and something consonant hereunto we find upon Record also John 6.69 In these Coasts of Caesarea Christ was out of Herod's reach Upon this Journey we have these Remarks 1. That our Lord wandred from place to place and even wearied himself by much toil and travel to fulfil his Ministry c. N.B. Note well All Christ's Travels from his Infancy to his Ascension beside his particular Visits are computed 3093. as before Many a weary footstep for his Spouse did he take as Jacob for a Wife to Syria so he to Caesarea the utmost Border of Palestine whither he footed it to sow some seeds of Grace among the Gentiles The 2d Remark is Christ confirms his Disciples in the knowledge of himself by way of Questions here teaching 1. That Pastors ought to examine the state of their Flock 2. That there will be various Opinions of Christ and his Kingdom beside not only among his Foes that call'd him a Samaritan a Sorcerer a Devil but also among his Friends and Well-wishers some thought him John Baptist revived as Mat. 14.2 holding the Doctrine of Pythagoras's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Transanimation others thought him Elias return'd from the lustre of his life in so many mighty Miracles or Jeremy that weeping Prophet from his eminent compassion and commiseration to Mankind or one of the Prophets to wit Elisha who had the double spirit of Elijah upon him So many were the mistakes even of good men concerning the Mediator while they minded their own Fancies more than God's Word But 3. He expected better Sentiments and Censures than those vulgar Men had of him from his own so long Followers and Familiars therefore he saith But whom say ye that I am To which Peter as perhaps older and without a peradventure bolder than the rest who gave joyntly the answer to the first Question answered for them all in a little yet so large a Confession as contains whatsoever is to be believed concerning the Person and the Office of Christ c. The 3d Remark is Christ first commendeth this comprehensive Confession of Peter and then adorns it with a double promise both personal or particular and universal 1. He tells Peter why at first he gave him that Name John 1.42 Mat. 4.18 pronounces him blessed for having knowledge of this saving Truth by Divine Revelation 't is no less than Life Eternal to know Christ aright John 17.3 2. Upon this saving Truth which Peter professed in the name of all the Apostles and their Successors in Pastoral Charge he promised so to found his Church as all the combined Power and Policy of Hell should not be able
Glory here in the Mount that they might the better stick to him in his Garden horror and hotter Services beside John was His Beloved Disciple and was charg'd with the Lord's Mother Iohn 19.26 27. After these three Antecedents follow the substantial part or relation of Christ's Transfiguration or Transformation as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 strictly signifies which was not done by any change of his natural form shape or stature of Body but by an alteration of the natural obscurity of his flesh that had comparatively no form nor comeliness c. Isa 52.14 53.2 into a most glorious glittering splendour and majesty flowing from the indwelling of the God-head in him Col. 2.9 This was no Metamorphosing his flesh into a Spirit or his Humane Nature into Divine for all the Lineaments and Proportion of his Body and the Figure of his Face so familiarly known to his Disciples still remained but this was an Adventitious Glory wherewith He cloathed himself as he Prayed laying aside for a while the Form of a Servant and putting on the Form of God Darting forth some Beams of his Deity far transcending That when He walk'd as lightly as if he had been but a Spirit upon the Waters Mat. 14.26 The Agility of his Body was shewn there which made his Disciples mistake Him for a Spirit and the lustre and clarity of it here 1. In his Countenance which shone as Moses's had done but far short of this when God gave to his Face something of his own Glory Exod. 34.19 as bright as the Sun in his Strength which is an higher splendour than that the Old Testament puts upon him Dan. 10.6 where his His Face was as the Appearance of Lightning and Hab. 3.4 His brightness was as the light c. And 2. In his Rayments which the splendour of the rest of his Body below his face did penetrate and gave to them this Glorious Tincture so that they became white as the Light or Snow glistering and sparkling as Stars and casting forth flashes of lightning infinitely beyond the Art of the most exquisite Fuller in the World Here Christ shews himself in such Glory and Majesty as He will Appear in at his Second coming to Judge the World and as the Glorified Saints are cloathed with when made like unto his Glorious Body here Phil. 3.21 Mat. 13.43 They shall shine as the Sun c. Their Garments shall be white and shining Rev. 19.8 like those Angels appear'd in Mâ—â— 28.3 Mark 16.5 Luke 24.4 John 20.12 Now this Beam of Deity put forth â—â—re did demonstrate to his Disciples that He could with all this Glory and Power easily have rescued himself out of his Crucifiers hands a tast whereof knock'd them down John 18.5 had he not Voluntarily given up himself an offering for Sin a Ransom for the World Having gloss'd upon the Substantial part of this History of Christ's Transfiguration after the first Circumstantial part to wit the Antecedents thereof I come now to the second Circumstance the Concomitants of it which are three in number 1. Christ's Companions in Glory 2. Peter's Extasie and Advice 3. The bright Cloud and the Divine Voice out of that Cloud First Of the first of these His Companions in Glory The 1st Remark whereon is Moses and the Messias meet together in the Mount as familiar Friends to demonstrate how the Accusers of Christ were notorious lyars in charging him with his breaking Moses's Law making him a frequent Transgressor of it therefore did Moses correspond with him to confute the Jews Blasphemies against Him The 2d Remark is Together with Moses appeareth Elias also who was most zealous likewise for the Law and the most eminent among the Prophets as Moses was the first Law-giver so Elias was a fervent Law-Restorer He came here into this Sacred Synod to testifie that Christ was neither against the Law nor against the Prophets as his Adversaries did Impeach him but came indeed for no other end but to fulfil them Mat. 5.17 c. The 3d Remark is Those two Candidates of Immortality as the Antients call them were the rather appointed for this witnessing work because the People had said of Christ that he was Moses or Elias they two appear here distinct from him to shew He was neither of them They but Servants He their Lord and Son of the living God as Peter had truly professed The 4th Remark is Moses the first Prophet of the Jews and Elias the first Prophet of the Gentiles Luke 4.26 must be the Celestial Witnesses of Christ's Glory as his Disciples were of the Terrestial Ministring here to their Master who now appeared glorious so must have some glorified companions both as best comporting with Christ's Grandeur being a Representation to the Life of his future Kingdom which should consist both of Jews and Gentiles Represented by these two Prophets of both and for a Testimony to the truth that the Apostles might not judge this a phantasm only The 5th Remark is These two Heavenly Witnesses appeared also in Glory having put on a Celestial splendour for Honouring their Lord's Person and Prefence the more even that Glory which they shall possess fully at the Resurrection of the Just which they had not yet attained unto Phil. 3.11 Heb. 11.35 39 40. but which was for Present lent them by a Divine Dispensation yet was this their Glory far lesser than Christs who now shone as the Sun among Stars 1 Cor. 15.41 The 6th Remark is The Discourse in this Sacred Synod was about Christ's Departure or Decease Luke 9.31 what He was to Suffer at Jerusalem and then enter into his endless Glory This Discourse may well be supposed to be long for this Transfiguration lasted all the night seeing it is said Luke 9.37 It came to pass the next Day when Christ and his Disciples were come down c. Those Consorts of Christ did discourse upon his Exodus Greek which we read Decease alluding to Israel's Exodus or Departure out of Egypt which was the beginning of their Liberty So Death call'd a Departure is a passage to Glory and seeing Christ's Resurrection and Ascension were his Exodus too this might lengthen the discourse as well as shewing His Sufferings were prefigured in the rites of the Law and predicted in the Oracles of the Prophets Christ being the Accomplishment of both The 7th Remark is Those two Consorts of Christ did appear here in this Colloquy in their Real Bodies and no Phantasm or Extatical fiction or a Vision of two Angels personating those two Prophets Because 1. 'T is not God's Method to confirm the truth with lying Fictions 2. These two Prophets came to confirm the Doctrine of the Resurrection both Christ's and Ours which they could not properly have done but with their own true Bodies brought with them And 3. Both their Bodies seem to be preserved by God himself from Putrefaction for this very Personal Apparition for Eliaâ—'s Body was rap'd up into
first Adam yet could not do either to the second Adam but he was conquer'd by him who with an Apage commands him out of his presence ver 10. N.B. Note well 2. Tho' those Thieves Sin and Satan could neither Stop nor Strip the Second Adam yet they did not only dismount the First Adam from his Primitive Innocency which should have sustain'd him but also strip'd him of that Robe of Righteousness which should have array'd him and of that Majesty and Glory wherewith he was Created and Crowned Psalm 8.5 6 Having Dominion over all Creatures ver 7 8. If those Thieves prevailed over such a Green Tree as Adam was in his Pure State it may well be supposed what mischief they may do both to the Habitual and Back-sliding Sinner N.B. Notewell 3. Nor was this all the damage those Thieves did to the First Adam that Original Sinner but they striped him so sorely and wounded him so deeply as to leave him half dead that is they spoiled him of his Immortality of his posse non cadere possibility of not falling wherein he was Created and reduced him into a mortal state In the day thou eatest of the forbidden fruit thou shalt surely die Gen. 2.17 to wit thou shalt be a mortal for by this one man's sin Death entred into the World as well as Sin and Death hath Reigned from Adam unto this Day Rom. 5. 12 14. Heb. 9.27 yet in this sense those Thieves left him but half dead not only because tho' his Immortality seized upon his External body yet his Internal Soul remained Immortal but also because he recovered his Fall by Believing in that Promise of the Woman's Seed Gen. 3.15 as is made more manifest in my first volume of the Life and Death of Adam however all the Posterity of Adam are doomed in the Scripture of Truth not only half dead but wholly dead even stark dead in Sin Eph. 2.1 2 3 4 5. Inferences from hence are First Sinners are great losers such as Travel from Jerusalem to Jericho from the Blessing to the Curse do forsake their own mercies with Jonah Jon. 2.8 while they follow lying vanities such may meet with a Tempest a Whale as he did yea and an Hell it self Jonah cried out of the Belly of Hell and the Lord heard him Jon. 2.2 but God will not hear Impenitent ones that howl in Hell Secondly If Sin be such a notorious Thief that both Robs God of his Honour and Man of God's Favour yea it Robb'd the Angels that Fell as well as Adam and still Robs us of our Spiritual Graces the Money that should maintain us in our Passage to Heaven as well as of many Temporal Blessings while we live upon Earth as of our Health Wealth c. which we forfeit by our Sin c. Then Thirdly Make a most strict search for this Thief let not thy Heart be as an Hostess to entertain it nor thy Senses be as Doors to let it enter nor thy Affections as Handmaids to attend it Soul thou not art won over to Jericho until thy Heart and Affections be won thither but if thy Face be to Jerusalem Luke 9.53 then God's Angels and a Pillar of Glory shall both Protect and Direct thee Be sure to secure this Thief c. If thou cry out thou shalt not Dye Deut. 22.27 as the betrothed Damosel Therefore when thou seest the Thief a coming to thee be sure thou consent not to his coming as he did Psalm 50.18 but shut thy Door against him and hold him fast as Elisha did against the murdering Messenger 2 Kin. 6.32 If thou open thy door to him thou art then a Partner with the Thief and so an hater of thy own Soul Prov. 29.24 when the Door is left carelesly open then the Thief cometh in Hos 7.1 and He cometh not but for to Steal Kill and Destroy John 10.10 that is the Thiefs Errand and tho' he be blame-worthy for doing so badly yet whom must we blame for leaving open the Door We are commanded to shut our Chamber Door and hide our Selves till the Indignation be past Isa 26.20 but when this good Shepherd this compassionate Samaritan comes and knocks Rev. 3.20 with the Hammer of his Word and with the hand of his Spirit we must open to him immediately Luke 12.36 Now come we to the Remedy against this manifold Malady aforenamed The Remedy is threefold as the Malady was but the former two are Remedies Imaginary only but no real Remedies ver 31 32. as first Remark 1st 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ver 31. which is read by Chance but it may be better read by Providence for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Greek word signifies the Lord who orders all casualities by his over-ruling Providence 't is the blind Pagans that ascribe fortuitous things to their blind Goddess Fortune whereas Man's way is not in himself c. Jer. 10.23 and God tells Moses Pharaoh will go next Morning to the River side Exod. 7.15 and thus Nebuthadnezzar standing with his Army at the head of two ways unresolved whether to March against Ammon or against Jerusalem he there cast Lots and the Lord disposed them Prov. 16.33 so as to March against the Latter Ezek. 21.20 21 22. what is contingent to Man is necessary to God Homer could say All things are Chained to Jove's Chair-foot sure I am they are so to the Hand of the true Jehovah so this Greek word ver 31. excludes the purpose of Man but not at all the Counsel of God c. Remark 2d A certain Priest came down that way and when he saw him he passed by on the other side N.B. Note well This is not writ to vilifie all Priests for Christ himself was a Priest after the Order of Melchisedeck Heb. 7.11 15 17. but it was to shew that Christ being the end of that legal Priesthood was now become more compassionate to his Neighbour Man in a new Evangelical way Tho' Priests under the Law were ordained to shew compassion Heb. 5.2 3. yet now the Comforter was coming to endow a Gospel-Ministry with Messages of glad tidings and with gifts of Compassion Jude ver 22. and with whom he was to abide to the World's end Mat 28.20 Remark 3d This Priest had an opportunity to shew Mercy unto this half Dead Man whom therefore Christ calls his Neighbour but he had no Bowels of compassion towards him tho' he had this opportunity 'T is said here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he passed by on the other side he stood at a distance opposite to him as the Greek word signifies possibly he might plead 1st I am in great hast in my Journey and cannot stay here 2d I am afraid of the like harm by those Thieves my self Or 3d Above all I may not touch a Dead Carcase for that is pollution by the Law Thus this Priest wanting a pittying Heart might cover his neglect with such slender excuses of Fear and Horror c. even the
made God himself become a Debtor to him for his Works of Supererogation and as if he now insulted over our Saviour being but a Trivial Teacher who could not call him out to a Lecture beyond the Law c. Though he lack'd not a loud lye in proclaiming himself to be without sin which never any Patriarch or Prophet did yet lacked he the quieting of his own Conscience which all his conceited Righteousness could not becalm for this Yonkster notwithstanding all his supposed Merits still cannot be quiet but must rise up run and ask 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What lack I yet Therefore Christ at last cuts this Coxcomb quite with a personal and particular precept such as was that to Abraham for killing his Son Go sell all and give to the poor then come take up my Cross and follow me This Tryal made him troubled turn his back of Christ who might have his Heaven to himself for him he had a Months-mind to Heaven and cheapens it but was not willing to go up to the Price of it that thorough Sale of all choaked him he liked no such Terms so being Wodded and Weaged to the World Renounces Christ rather than it and so do all Worldings that do Trust in their Wealth they are the Camels and Cables that cannot pass through the Needles Eye Mar. 10.24 CHAP. XXVIII Tidings of Lazarus Sickness CHRIST all this time had been beyond Jordan working Miracles and wording Oracles now Lazarus whom be loved falleth sick his two Sisters Mary and Martha send a Messenger to him while be was beyond Jordan to intreat his presence with their Sick Brother and to return to Bethany where he had lately been before Luke 10.38 39 40. Upon this Invitation he prepareth for his Journey over Jordan into Judea again and yet stayed two Days in the place where the Messenger found him John 11.3.6 And where he delivered the Parable of the Labourers in the Vineyard which is Recorded only in Matth. 20.1 to 17. And not in any other Evangelist the Scope whereof was to Illustrate Christs last words Many that are first shall be last c. Matth. 19.30 and to prevent Peter c. from being puffed up with a preconceit of their promised great Reward ver 28 29. Christ herein cautions them that such as place Confidence in the Merits of their Works as forsaking all c. and call for their Wages before they had well entered into their Work as Peter c. What shall we have c. ver 27. May be placed in the lowest place by the Lord who giveth Eternal life out of free grace not of Debt or Merit For the purport of the Parable holds that such Labourers as had been longest Labouring in the Vineyard and therefore had the highest Estimation of their own Labours yet were last taken notice of least Esteemed yea Rebuked as Adversaries to free grace and daring to Expostulate with God about Justice Whereas those last labourers were first paid because they trusted not in the Merit or Worth of their own Works but in the free grace and goodness of God when the other as Murmuring Merit-mongers are turned off with this Taunt Tolle quod tuum est vade take thy penny and be packing Christ Gods Steward and the Judge of all doth Distribute his Wages for his Work with a most singular Demonstration both of his Justice so that none shall receive less than was promised and of his Mercy so that all shall receive more than they Merited for although this penny be not absolutely Eternal Life it is that Gratuitous penny given to the last Labourers for it is called the Free gift of God Rom. 6.23 Eph. 2.7 8. and many more shewing Salvation is not due by Debt or is Gods pay for our pains as here Reward or Wages for Work but is altogether from free grace What ever the penny signified it was something that gave content to the Contractors for undertaking Vineyard work it was that for which each of them followed Christ whether it were for Meat perishing or for Meat induring John 6.27 Indeed all the Antient Fathers except Basil take this penny to signifie Eternal Salvation because 1. Denarius ex Decem was of the value of Ten usual pieces of Money to shew Eternal Life is worth Ten Temporal Lives 2. The round Figure in the Roman penny signified Eternity which hath no End 3. The Stamp and Sculpture upon it was the Kings Image noting our being made like God then 4. The Silver piece had a Lustre and Splendour upon it to denote the glory of our Bodies then as before of our Souls Yet Basil Interprets it some Reward of this Life and this one Mans Interpretation agreeing well with the Scripture of Truth and with the Analogy of Faith may have more weight than all the other whose Sense makes all workers in the Visible Church to be Saved or none are so but the Elect only or all shall be saved and that by the Merit of their Works and all shall be equal in the Wage of Eternal Life and so none shall be first or last contrary to Scripture The Scope of this Parable is only to be pressed as also of other Parables lest Blood in stead of Milk be squeezed out of them c. After this Parable Christ begins his last Journey to Jerusalem to the Eating of his last Paschal Lamb or Passover but especially to the offering up of himself the Lamb of God for taking away the sins of the World At his first setting forward from Jordan to Judea he acquaints his Disciples apart of his approaching passion at Jerusalem as he had done before Matth. 16.21 and again Matth. 17.22 c. For they must be the Witnesses both of his Omnisciency in foreknowing it and of his voluntary laying down his Life in venturing thither where he knew his Death was designed Matth. 20.17 c. Mark 10.32 c. Luke 18.31 c. 'T is said expresly He went before them Mar. 10.32 As most willing to walk that way which went to his suffering work this Amazed the Disciples to behold him walking like a Couragious and Undaunted Captain before them rather desiring than fearing Death This fortitude they more than Admired in their Amasement at their Magnanimous Master and themselves being pusillanimous were Affrighted at his bold Adventure upon his unavoidable Danger therefore desire they him to stay beyond Jordan where he was then safe rather than Expose himself to his Implacable Adversaries in Judea again saying as soon as they could overtake him in their Trembling pursuit after him they said John 11.7 8. Where this same last Journey to Jerusalem is Recorded also Master The Jews lately sought to stone thee and wilt thou go thither again This was their Preposterous Advice from their own Timorous Carnality which naturally startles at and declines the Cross And indeed N. B. Note well 'T is no more than Duty to Decline it when it lies not betwixt us and
Enquiry the First how shall the Servants have Rewards Rendred to them Answer This Lord-Judge will then Render to every Man according to his Works Rom. 2.6 to Well-doers Eternal Life ver 7 10. But to Evil-doers Eternal Death ver 8 9. And this Judgment of Christ shall be according to Truth ver 2. For the Right understanding of this Scripture take these three Cautions Caution the 1. This must not be meant of Children who dye while young and live not to work good or evil c. Some of which are Saved by the Eternal purpose of Electing-love and by the Grace of the Covenant of Grace which saith I will be thy God and the God of thy Seed Gen. 17.7 Deut. 30.6 Isa 61.9 65.23 Rom. 4.16 9.8 c. Whereas other Children are out of the unaccountable Wisdom of God passed by and left of God as Children of Wrath in the fallen Nature c. Oh! The Depth c. Rom. 11.33 34 35. That the Election obtains and the rest do not ver 2.5 7 8. The 2. Caution is This Rewarding every one according to their Works must not be meant of such as are called at the Eleventh Hour of the Day Matth. 20.6 9. as was the Penitent Thief Luke 23. ver 40 41 42 43. He had lived wickedly all his Life yet now at the point of Death he was Converted by hearing Christs pretious Prayers and by seeing his profound patience c. Then he brake out into that brave Confession worthy to be writ in Letters of Gold his Real Repentance Received from his Gracious Redeemer a full Remission of all his former sins Ingressa pietas priorem Impietatem Depulit saith the Father his now begun Piety drove away all his former Impiety that little time he lived after his Conversion he spent it in expressing his Faith by his Works and so he is said to live very much in a very little space had he lived longer he would have done no less but have lived better c. his Penitent Prayer which he made upon his Cross was as Jacobs Ladder whereon Angels Descended to fetch up his Soul into Paradise his Judge Jesus Judged him by the State he Dyed in and not by the State he had formerly lived in c. The 3. Caution is That Expression Rom. 2.6 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Juxta non propter according and not for their Deeds and so 't is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To give every Man according as his Work shall be Revel 22.12 Both which Scriptures do signifie the Quality Quantity or Measure rather than the Merit of Works which is but a Popish Delusion upon these Accounts in short 1. There is no proportion betwixt Mans Work and Gods Wages 2. What we Merit by must be our own but our good Works are from God Isa 26.12 Not from our selves so cannot Merit at Gods Hands 3. Our good works are but a due Debt to our Maker so cannot Merit any thing 4. when we have done our best works we are still but unprofitable Servants Luke 17.10.5 Good works are the Via non causa Regnandi saith Bernard they are the way in Christ John 14.6 to walk in unto glory not the procuring cause of Glory c. The 2. Enquiry is How will the Lord Reckon with and Reward the Godly Answer This is certain that the Saints shall Rise first 1 Thess 4.16 when Christ appears the Saints shall appear with him in Glory Col. 3.4 and shall Reckon with their Lord as they are the Blessed Sheep Set upon the Right Hand of Christ Mat. 25.33 34 c. From whence some Divines do say that the Sins of the Saints it a Velantur per Grattam Domini ut non Revelentur in Judicio are so valled by the grace of Christs Righteousness as not to be Revealed in the Day of Judgment and their Reasons be these 1. That Exemplification of the Judgment Day 's process Mat. 25.35 36. The Judge mentions only their good Deeds not as a cause but only as an Evidence of their Acceptance c. which they in all Humility seem ignorant of in Admiting Christs Candour and Kindness to them c. ver 37 38 39 but there is not one word mentioned of any Evil Deeds c. 2. Our Lord expresly saith that Believers have Eternal Life and shall not come into Condemnation John 5.24 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall not come into Judgment as the word signifies not as the Rabbi's fondly fancy saying there be four sorts that shall not come into Judgment 1. He that is extream poor 2. He that hath a wicked Wife 3. He that is so deep in Debt as cannot possibly Extricate himself and 4 He that is Tormented with the Torture of the Collick as if all those had Hell here in this Life c. These Jewish Fables are Recorded by De Dieu c. but the true Sense is that Believers shall not come into that Judgment which endeth in Condemnation for 't is said There is no Condemnation to them that are in Christ c. Rom. 8.1 where the Greek word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and signifies more than 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before 3. That Maxim in Divinity is alledged peecata non Redeunt Justificatis Sins return not to the Justified for that Blessed Scapegoat the Redeeming Angel Gen. 48.16 carries away upon his Head all the sins of his Redeemed into the Land of Forgetfullness as some Sense it Levit. 16.21 Christ so blotteth out the black lines of their many sins with the red lines of his Meritorious Blood that even the thickest Clouds of their Iniquities shall be remembred no more Isa 23.25 and 24.22 and Hebr. 10 16 17. Moreover it is alledged 4. What Hezekiah affirmeth to Gods glory thou hast cast all my Sins behind thy back Isa 38.17 So as they shall never appear before thy face any more 5. David's Assertion is urged God hath Removed our Sins so far from us as far as the East is from the West Ps 103.13 which two contrary quarters can never meet together again 6. The Prophet pleads Gods promise thou wilt cast all our Sins into the Depth of the Sea Mic. 7.18 19. That is so as they may never be Buoyed up again out of thy bottomless Bowels c. 7. 'T is said likewise that the Lord is too gracious to shame his Saints by laying open their sins in the sight of a wicked World God himself saith thou shalt not bear a grudge against the Children of thy People Levit. 19.18 't is the glory of Man to pass by Infirmities Prov. 19.11 How much more is it the glory of a gracious God to do so c. If Mans love can cover all sins Prov. 10.12 much more can Gods love c. God multiplies Pardons Isa 55.7 even above 77. times Matth 18.22 And upon Real Repentance our Sins are all so fully remitted by him as if they had never been committed
against him N. B. Note well The Lord will Judge his Saints at that time in such a manner as to make them Admire and Adore him the more as the King reckoned with that Servant Mat. 18.24 c. saying Thou owest me Ten Thousand Talents for thy many breaking of my Ten Commandments but upon thy Acknowledging the Debt and thy Insufficiency to solve it but tendring satisfaction by thy All-sufficient surety Hebr. 7.22 I freely Cancel out that Hand writing against thee Col. 2.14 Though thou hast omitted many Duties and committed many sins naming the time and place of both yet I have dyed for thee thou shalt not dye saith the Judge c. N. B. N. Note well A word of Caution is needful for the Conclusion of this point seeing this Opinion seems to be over-soothing to the Saints insomuch that if so they need not Tremble to sin against Christ because they shall not be Judged for their sins c. I do from the Lord Admonish all Saints to live such Lives as they may be approved to Christ 2 Cor. 10.18 as well as to have their Character of being approved in Christ Rom. 16.10 Let every one that Nameth the Name of Christ depart from Iniquity 2 Tim. 2.19 To have Holiness writ upon their Hearts and Lives as Vessels of Honour Zech. 14.20 That they may have the Lords Euge well done thou good and faithfull Servant thou hast been Faithfull over a few things of my Gifts and Grace I will make thee Ruler over many things in glory enter thou into the Joy of thy Lord Mat. 25.21 23. and Luke 19.17 19. Christs word must be the Rule of our Life as it shall be the Judge after Death John 12.48 All shall be Judged by the Gospel 't is Judgment according to Truth Rom. 2.2 5 6 16. Enquiry the Third Shall Rewards be equal in Heaven Answer This question is canvased pro and con by Divines both for it and against it Such as are for the Negative and for Inequality do Argue both from Scripture and from Reason First from Scripture as 1. Isa 56.4 5. I will give them within my Walls a Name better than of Sons and Daughters 2. Cant. 8.12 Thou O Solomon shall have a Thousand and those that keep the Fruit thereof two Hundred 3. Dan 12.3 They that be Wise shall shine as the Brightness of the Firmament and they that turn many to Righteousness as the Stars for ever and ever 4. Matth. 5.19 The same shall be least or greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven c. 5. Mat. 13.8 23. Some thirty some sixty and some an hundred Fold and Mat. 10.41 42. a Disciple's and a Prophet's Reward 6. Matth. 19.28 29. The twelve Apostles shall sit upon twelve Thrones when others are said only to Inherit Eternal Life 7. Matth. 22.30 Luke 20.36 Saints shall then be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 equal to Angels now seeing there be Degrees and Orders of Angels Col. 1.16 c. So there must be of Saints 8. Matth. 18.4 Whoso humbleth himself as this Child he shall be greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven 9. John 14.2 In my Fathers House are many Mansions which may be supposed to differ one from another in Glory as is seen in this great City higher and lower Houses c. 10. Rom. 2.6 and 2 Cor. 5.10 Every Man shall be Rewarded according to his Works that is the greater Grace the greater Glory 11. 1 Cor. 15.41 There is one glory of the Sun another of the Moon and another of the Stars so of the Saints c. 12. 2 Cor. 9.6 He that Sows sparingly shall Reap sparingly but he that Sows bountifully shall Reap bountifully 13. Revel 14. ver 2 3 4. The followers of the Lamb with chast Virgins Hearts have a priviledge beyond others c. 14. Matth. 25.20 23. and Luke 19.16 18. Those two Parables do declare if not both differing Gifts yet differing Gains c. Unto all those Scriptures Those Reasons are secondly added as 1. As there be Degrees of punishments in Hell for it shall be more tolerable for some than for others Matth. 11.21 22 23.24 even so there may be Degrees of Joys in Heaven 2. As there is inequality of grace some weak and some strong c. So proportionably an Inequality of glory 3. Some do more and suffer more than others as Martyrs c. therefore Wages are as Work hath been 4. If equality then no Distinction this seems Confusion which cannot be in Heaven 5. There be Degrees in glory whereby God is known from Angels and Angels from Saints and the Man Christ Jesus from all yea Patriarchs Prophets and Apostles above all Saints and 6. This is a Spiritual Spur in running to grow in grace which is in Christ a purchasing as the Phrase is 1 Tim. 3.13 a greater Degree of glory c. But such as are for the Affirmative to wit for Equality of glory as Hierome Spanhemius c. do Answer all those Scriptures and Reasons aforesaid too long here to insert I Refer the Reader to those two Authors upon Mat. 25.20 c. as he that had much Manna had no overplus and he that gathered little had no lack Exod. 16.18 So here c. all Saints shall partake alike of the Substance of glory not so haply of the degrees thereof all enough c. N. B. Note well 't is Encouragement enough for us to know that PINTS as well as QVARTS shall be filled full of glory Enquiry the Fourth How shall the Judge reckon with and Reward the wicked Answer Mat. 25.24 25 to 30. and Luke 19.20 c. Shew us 1. How God must bear the blame of Mans unfaithfulness I was afraid of thy Austerity c. whereas the good Servants gave all the glory to God saying Lord it was thy Pound not my Pains that gained ten Pounds 2. How God puts no difference betwixt Nequam and Nequaquam an Evil and an Idle Servant this is not enough that he spent not his Masters Talent but hid it in Sudario in that Handkerchief wherewith he should have wiped of his Sweat by labouring hard to improve it c. 3. How the useless as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies as well as Enemies shall be cast into Hell Mat. 25.30 Luke 19.22 27. The Judge will Judge them out of their own Months c. then shall they bewail their pain of loss as well as of sense crying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not for ever Lord c. CHAP. XXIX CHrist did not back this Exhortation to work and watch with three Parables for any Difficulty in understanding the Duty but because of Mans backwardness and dullness to believe and improve all due preparations for Christs second coming the manner whereof is set down from Mat. 25. ver 31. to the end Now are we come down to the two last Days that our blessed Lord lived at Liberty before his Apprehension Oh! what an abundance of his business
for the Devils Drudgery Such as have been in high Places of the Church seeming to sit near Christ but loosing their little Tast of Religion and that life of God they seemed to have do become the most pestilent Persecutors of Christ and Truth This wretched Hypocrite could deal plainly and above Board with his cursed Comrades in giving them a sign whereby they might truly and realy know him while he gave his Lord a Dissembling Kiss and backsliding out of the good way he becomes a Captain to those in an Evil way N. B. Note well But mark the Issue when he had Sold his Master for thirty Pence which another would not have done for a Thousand Worlds because the Ware he Sold was the Riches and Glory of the World c. and had thus Treacherously betrayed him into his Murtherers Hands he had little Peace or Comfort of his Doings for 1. Making Reflexion upon himself he finds the Ware Sold was the Richest Treasure for a little Trifle but for fifteen Pence as some compute it the price of a Slave N. B. Note well There be many Judas's that though they sell not Christ to the Priests as he did yet sell their Souls to the Devil for trifling things and Heaven and Happiness for a little Profit or Pleasure yea Peace with God for Peace with the World c. 2. He found his Injustice and Injuriousness to Christ not only as a Servant in Sordidly Selling his kind Master but also as a Man selling something that was not his own and whereof he had no Right of Sale but the Power of Disposeal belonged to another that is to the Father and to himself who said I have power to lay down my Life and I have power to take it up again John 10.18 Judas Usurped Jesus's right 3. Beside Spiritual things are not to be sold at all much less for Carnal for they are of Inestimable Value which nothing in the World can Countervail Therefore the Souls of Men are not Saleable things Matth. 16.25 26. Unless it be with the Whore of Babylon Roma omnia venalia Revel 18.12 13. Nor is the loving kindness of God Psal 63.3 Nor the Holy Ghost Acts 8.18 19. Simons Mony must perish with him ver 20. much less Christ who is the Father and Fountain of all Spiritual things Col. 2.3 Phil. 3.7 8.4 But that Dart which stuck in the sides of his Conscience was his Betraying his loving Lord with a Kiss under Colour of Friendship Just so his sin had betrayed his Soul into the Hands of Satan with a sign of Love the Tempter is a Parasite till we have sinned but a Tyrant after the Act Now the Wages of wickedness began to burn in his purse but worse in his Conscience Matth. 27.3 4 5. Up he vomits all confessing his sin openly in the Temple which he had committed covertly in the Garden the Priests he confessed to proved Miserable Comforters dealing with him as the Devil doth with his Witches brings them into the Bryars and then lurches them hence went he and Hanged himself c. as a warning 1. To those that Kiss Christ at Church yet betray him in their Trades c. 2. That carry cunningly in catching all they can and sinning closely all will be out when the Book is opened Revel 20.12 Whereof Judas Read but two Lines 3. That confess to a Priest and not to God may meet Judas hanging himself 2. Judas having as before pointed out Jesus to the Jews c. that came to Apprehend him yet could they not come to their purpose without a preceding Parley though there came a Company of Souldiers who being Romans wanted no Courage and a Multitude of Servants who being Jews wanted no Malice yea and some of their Masters too to prompt them on for such were they that Christ spoke to this is your Hour and the power of Darkness Luke 22.52 53. yet none of these Men of Might and Malice could with all their Arms lay an Arm to Attack this Unarmed Man till he who was Lord of his own Life gave them leave N. B. Note well This cursed Crew came indeed out against Christ as against a Thief who Stole nothing from Mankind but Death and Damnation both Secretly and in the Night with a great clutter of People with a grievous clashing of Weapons so that they awaked a young Man out of his Sleep c. Mar. 14.51 52. and with so many Lanters and Torches as if they would turn the Night's Darkness into Day-light the better to Discern Christ by Face This they did to make the World believe that he whom they came to catch was the veryest Varlot in the World and one fled from Justice c. whereas had their Cause and their Conscience been good they might have taken a fitter time and given Christ a fairer Carriage c. Though the Adversaries had all these Advantages yet cannot one Man lay hold upon Christ who was under all Disadvantages till himself pleased For the Order of the History lies thus N. B. Note well Judas came up first and Kissed Christ with his killing Kiss bidding his Fellow-Villains lay hold on him whom he had Kissed they thereupon draw up near him Jesus stepped forward to meet his Murderers in the very face hereat they standing as it were stupifyed Christ Asketh them whom seek ye as Christ had immediately before this thought good to sting Judas's Conscience by that cutting question Friend wherefore art thou come Dost thou betray the Son of Man with a Kiss Luke 22.48 Though Christ knew well enough why he came yet to convince his Conscience of his putid Hypocrisie painted over with crying Rabbi Rabbi Mar. 14.45 and pretending a pitty of his Masters Misery by asking him comest thou as a friend or as a foe If as a friend what mean those Swords If as a foe what means this Kiss Some suppose Judas designed to carry his Treachery on so cunningly as if his hand had not been at all in this Conspiracy therefore Kissed he Christ as a Friend and would have been so reckoned still but haeret lateri Lethalis Arundo those cutting questions of Christ stuck fast in his Conscience like Darts c. At least when he saw Christ Condemned hoping likely that Christ would deliver himself by a Miracle as he had done at other times Matth. 27.3 4 5 c. So likewise this knocking question Christ asked this Armed Multitude whom seek ye c. John 18.4 No sooner had he said I am he but that word knocked them all down to the ground in a Retrograde Motion ver 6. Here our Lord let out a little Beam of the Majesty of his Deity so that 500. Armed Men are made to fall down to the cold Earth and neither their Staves could Support them nor their Swords could be their Safeguard N. B. Note well and 't is probable Judas fell with the rest ver 5. Oh! The power of Christs word that Raised Dead Lazarus
or for him 2. He knew himself among Fools so according to Solomons Sentence would not speak in their Ears for they would despise the Wisdom of his words Prov. 23.9 3. He saw that his Desperate Enemies about him were resolved to have his blood and therefore held it more glorious to choak their Malice with silence and to set them down by saying nothing But above all 4. Though he could have non-plus'd them as he did the Doctors at twelve years Old and oft after by his Answers yet now standing in our stead is content to be Condemned for our faults tho' faultless in himself this being the time not of Defence but of Silence and Suffering that Gods grace might be accomplished he as a Sheep before the Shearer opened not his Mouth Isa 53.7 To teach us Wisdom and Patience c. Psal 38.13 14. Not Answer all Accusations c. Now when Caiphas could have no Answer from Christ either to the false Witnesses or to himself he then Extorts one by Adjuring him and such an one as might seem plausible and effectual for Condemning him saying I Adjure thee by the living God c. Matth 26.63 Caiphas's catching question was Twofold 1. Art thou the Christ or the Messiah 2. Art thou the Son of God If thou be silent or tell not the truth then God by whom thou art Adjured will punish thee or however the Magistrate shall Condemn thee for thy contempt of Authority Thus this abominable Hypocrite dare pollute and prophane that Tremendous Name of God so called Deut. 28.58 Calling it in as the Author or at least the Abettor of his Notorious Plots and Practises yea one would think as this story is Related Mar. 14.61 That Caiphas was some Conscientious Person Asking art thou the Baruch Hu or the Blessed one or his Son using this Periphrasis as if he had been afraid once to Name God Yet presently after Adiures our Lord by the living God to tell him who he was whereas the Devil himself could have told him Mar. 1.24 3.11 an Answer to both his questions but he asked this not out of any desire to know the truth but to insnare him by his words for if he denyed it then had he been a Deceiver of the People that believed him to be so and if he made a free and bold Confession as he plainly did Mar. 14.62 of the Truth then they resolved to Condemn him as a Blasphemer as they presumptuously did ver 64. for making himself the Son of God at which this wicked wretch rent his Clothes which an High Priest ought not by the Law to have done upon any Reason Levit. 10.6 21.10 as if his very Heart had been rent with Grief at so sad an Hearing of such a Sacred Truth Though Christ told the Council he was now in his State of Abasement the Son of God was hid in the Carpenters Son whom they Arraign and would shortly Crucifie but they shall see him in a State of Advancement coming in the Clouds of Heaven as in a Chariot of State and then would he Judge those that were now his Judges Besides this he had given all Men the most undeniable Demonstrations of his Deity in his many Miracles the like whereof were never wrought by any mere Mortal Man c. John 9.32 c. This brings in the third part of Christs Sufferings from wicked Men to wit his Condemnation which was first done in this Ecclesiastical Court upon the Ingenuous Confession of our Lord before his Implacable Enemies when the glory of God was deeply concerned that he might leave them without all Excuses teaching us not to deny him before Men when Gods Glory lies at Stake c. And likewise to comfort us against our Sufferings for as Christ comforted himself now with his Future Glory so we if we suffer with him shall also Reign with him 2 Tim. 2.11 12. Matth. 19.28 The Sentence of Condemnation was first Denounced against Christ in the Spiritual Court by Caiphas who openly declared his good Confession so called 1 Tim. 6.13 to be Blasphemy and then demands the Concurrence of the whole Council who like a company of Servile Souls durst do no other but concur with Caiphas Unanimously crying He is Guilty of Death and under the pretence of that Law Levit. 24.16 He was Condemned by them all Matth. 26.65 66. and Mar. 14.64 N.B. Note well This may comfortably assure us that the Second Adam who was very God yet Cendemned for saying so hath freed us from that Crime of Blasphemy we stand guilty of for the first Adams affecting a Deity and to be as God Gen. 3.5 For though Christ was most free of Blasphemy and of all other sins yet because we in whose stead Christ now stood are guilty thereof and of all sorts of sin therefore was it the Determinate Counsel of God that our Surety should have this Sentence of Condemnation passed upon him for our sakes and this is done in a General Assembly of Graceless Hypocritical Priests pretending Marvelous zeal for the Glory of God while intending to Murther the Son of God who could well enough agree all in one to Condemn this Innocent Jesus Though the Innocency of his Life had been such that none of them could convince him of one sin Jehn 8.46 But when he was brought before this Court N. B. Note well the whole Sanhedrim were to seek for Witnesses the Witnesses for Crimes the Crimes for proofs and the proofs for Concord they were all and in all these at a loss and could find nothing for their Malicious purpose So that Caiphas was constrained to take a new uncouth and in all Courts of Judicature an unaccustomed way of Adjureing him to Answer who he was that he might intrap him in his own words which when Christ had confessed in an undeniable Truth knowing they were Resolved to have his Life Right or Wrong and Summoning his present Judges to appear at his own dreadful Tribunal at the Day of Judgment which would make them mourn Zech. 12.10 This great Truth which they called Blasphemy was the only Crime for Condemning him Though Caiphas Rent his Priestly Robes at this pretended Blasphemy N. B. Note well yet did it signifie the rending of the Priest-Hood from him which he forfeited by this unlawful Act as before like as the rending of the Vail of the Temple at Christs Death was a sign of the rending away the whole Jewish Worship from the Jewish Nation While Caiphas was thus personating the Tragedy of others he did but really act his own and his Accomplices Now after this unjust Condemnation of Innocent Jesus Let us a little behold how he was abused in the Spiteful Court before they delivered him up to the Secular Powers as the Lord commands in the Law N. B. Note well that the very Ashes and Cinders of the Burnt Sacrifices should be gathered up and laid in a clean place Levit. 4.12 6.11 Numb 19.9 So in the same
necessary it is to compare all the four Evangelists together for compleating the whole Account of the Life and Death of our Dear Lord. And this Evangelist John assures us of this great Truth as being an Eye-witness of this double Witness in the blood and Water John 19.34 35. No more than what he saw with his Eyes doth the declare to us 1 John 1.3 He saw one of the Souldiers pierce the sides of Christ after he had given up the Ghost with a Spear and forthwith came there out Blood and Water which the same Author in his first Epistle calls the two things that bore Record or Testimony upon Earth This is he that came by Water and Blood not by Water only but by Blood also 1 John 5.6 Here was the foretold Fountain opened Zech 13 1â— even the sides of our Saviour to wash away Man's sin and uncleanness The God of Nature hath in such Wisdom qualified the Natural Heat of Man's Heart that nor only the Lungs are so placed as to blow cool Air upon it but also it is Situated as in a Vessel of water called the Pericardium for the Farther cooling of it and this is a Received Rule among all Learned Naturalists that if this Pericardium or skin of water about the Heart be pierced it is impossible for the Heart which is the prâ—mum vivens ultimum Moriens the first part that lives and the last that dies in Mankind should preserve life in it any longer So that this Wound the Souldier gave our Saviour in his side was a most manifest witness of the Death of Christ and as the Water and Blood did Represent the two Gospel-Sacraments Baptism and the Lord's Supper which did properly flow from the sides of Christ all the other five Mock-Sacraments in the Romish Church flowed only from the sides of Antichrist so they Resembled the two Grand Graces the Water had the Resemblance of the Grace of Sanctification and the Blood of the Grace of Justification These two Graces this beloved Disciple would not have divided each from other Therefore he saith that Christ came by both not by Water only but by blood also To shew that we are both Sanctified and Justified by the Death of our Dear Jesus the water of our Sanctifying grace washes us from the filth of sin and the Blood of Justifying Grace cleanseth and purgeth us from the guilt of sin And seeing we are but in part and not throughly Sanctified for there is ever some remaining Corruption uncleansed Joel 3.21 c. and 't is only carryed on gradually and as it were by Inches therefore the main matter of the Joy of our Salvation consisteth more in our being Justified because the grace of Justification is one gracious Act changing our State of Wrath at one instant into a State of Favour with God and spreading a Mantle as it were to cover out of God's sight the Multitude of our black sins past present and to come by the Red Robes of our Redeemers Righteousness imputed to us So that this blood and water hold forth both the imputed and the imparted Righteousness of Christ and what our Lord hath joyned together that let no Man put asunder No Man can be truly made partaker of that Righteousness which is imputed unless he have also that which is imparted our Sanctification is a blessed Evidence of our Justification We have not need of the blood only but of the water also And tho' this Apostle in 1 John 5.8 make three Witnesses on Earth the Spirit Water and Blood yet he saith these three agrees in one for Gods Spirit doth witness with our Spirits that we are truly Justified and Sanctified by Christ Rom. 8.15 16. And this is highly Remarkable that these Kill-Christ's can do nothing against him but as God had Decreed they may kill him and wound him when killed but the least bone in this Paschal Lambs Body they cannot break as it is written Exod. 12.46 Numb 9.12 No more can Satan or his Imps break the least bone of Christ's Mystical Body his Church Let us now take a general prospect of the Death of our Dear Redeemer and make some profitable Inferences from the Sundry Circumstances thereof The 1. Inference is Oh! What an heinous Evil an only Evil Ezek. 7.5 a very bitter thing Jer. 2.19 is sin that could by no possible means admit of any proportionable Expiation or Commensurate satisfaction for it but either by the Death of the Son of God the sinners Surety or by enduring the Eternal Flames of Hell in the sinners themselves every Man as well as the first Man Adam hath eaten the Forbidden Fruit of Sin and the Divine Doom for that Crime of High Treason against the Great God of Heaven the King of Kings is dreadfully Denounced in the open Court of the Holy Scriptures to wit that the Sinner shall surely Die either by himself or or by his Surety There is an infinite offence in every Act of sin as it is acted against the Authority of an Infinite God And should the sinner live for ever upon Earth he would sin for ever against Heaven therefore Eternal Torments are appointed for that Eternal principle of sinning in the faln sinner to satisfie Divine Justice And such suitable satisfaction thereunto the Highest and most Glorious of all the Created Angels in Heaven much less any Mortal Man or the Mightiest Monarch upon Earth could not possibly undertake to make No it must be only the only Son of God that could pay down the full price of our Redemption The 2. Inference is Oh! what a sad case is this that of all Impenitent Ones and Unbelievers who have no interest in the Death of this Son of God who Dyed as the Son of Man to satisfie the Justice of God from the sins of Men These cannot say that Christ dyed for us as Gal. 2.20 c. He gave his Life a Ransom for many Matth. 20.28 But for none such as these and therefore they are like unless they Repent and Believe to bear the Eternal Wrath of God yea and it may be of Man for a while too in themselves which our Dear Redeemer hath born upon the Cross for all True Penitent and Believing Persons The 3. Inference is Oh! how Hateful and Sinful Rom. 7.13 should sin be to every Soul that cost our Saviour so much unparallel'd Sufferings to satisfie for it surely could we but take a view of sin as it lay on our Saviour's Back with such weight as to squeeze out his very Hearts blood out of his Body we should then hate it with a perfect Hatred for Torturing him whom our Souls love Nature teacheth us to avoid that Wound which is hardest to Cure and most Mortal to Life therefore do we guard to our utmost our Heads and Hearts with holding our Hands betwixt them and the Blows And should not Grace teach us to avoid sin which makes the worst Wound in the World as it wounds the Soul and
1 Cor. 15.44 but He changed his place only and they miraculously lost sight of him Luke 24.31 The last Branch of this Holy Conference c. was the Consequences and Effect thereof No sooner was Christ vanisht out of those Disciple's sight This Appearance of the Lord was indeed Joyful to them but it being so short and so suddenly Attended with a Disappearance of Him beyond their expectation this troubled them with a confounding consternation But as soon as they could recover themselves They 1. fall upon a Self tryal reflecting upon their own Folly that they knew Him no sooner Luke 24. v. 32. saying each to other as it were He indeed called us Fools and so we were otherwise we might have known Him before He sat down with us at the Table even while he talked to us and taught us in the way for beside the highest Elegancy of his Discourse and the many ponderous Arguments He poured forth so that never man spake like him as John 7 46. Did we not feel a Divine Efficacy attending his words which inflamed our hearts to astonishment such as we were wont to experience while he used to teach us with Authority before his death On what Fools are we who could not know our own Happiness in his sweet Society before he withdrew himself Thus God teacheth both them and us the worth of Blessings by the want of them This may teach us also that as Christ's words had such a powerful Influence upon them so as to fire up their frozen Affections so it ought to be with us while we sit under Sermons If we remain cold and careless under the Word Preached which is the Key of opening the Scriptures 't is because Christ speaks not in it to inflame our hearts we meet not with the spirit of burning Isa 4.4 to burn off our Rust and to burn up our combustible corruptions the Word of God shall be to us like as fire and as an Hammer to break our Rocky hearts in pieces Jer. 23.29 This is the peculiar work of Christ alone and not of any Minister to inflame the Affections Cathedram in Coelis habet saith Angustin qui corda hominum in terris docet He hath his Pulpit in Heaven that thus teacheth the hearts of men on Earth None can kindle that fire of God which cannot be quenched Cant. 8.6 but God himself he only can baptize us with the Holy Ghost and with Fire Luke 3.16 A drowsie dead frozen heart never profits by the Word 't is a mis-spending of precious time c. The 2d Effect was They rose up the same hour Luke 24.32 33. Here was their Self-denial after their self-tryal in this Transport knowing that their Lord was Rose up from the Grave they likewise like sympathizing Servants Rose up also from the Table and as may well be supposed without eating one bit of Bread though they were two hungry Travellers For they coming to know Christ in breaking of Bread which was the very time he chose to manifest himself and till them suspended their sight as he started out of their company so immediately they started up from the Supper and none can prove that any of them did eat of the Bread then Broken which is a cogent Argument to evidence that it was not Sacramental Bread for 't is blasphemy to think that Christ mocked them with a Sacrament though he might prove these two whether they with Job esteemed his Word and Work above their necessary Food Job 23.12 and as he himself often had done c. As when the Disciples said to him Master eat he answered I have meat to eat that you know not of c. John 4.31 32 33 34. He preferr'd the doing of his Father's Will before the food that was necessary to keep him alive So he did when disappointed of his Breakfast at the Barren Fig-tree Matth. 21.17 23. Though he came hungry into the City yet read we not that he went first into a Victualling-house to satisfie his Appetite but 't is expresly said He directly went into the Temple where he taught the People most part of that day The Zeal of God's house had eaten him up so as he forgot his own eating So the two Disciples here had now other work to do than to stay there any longer and to spend any more time in eating a Supper though their Bread was both blest and broken by Christ himself No they must hasten the same hour to comfort the Distressed and half-dead Disciples Luke 24.33 Hence the 3d Consequence is their Self-resolution though they now were going as others think into Galilee their own Country in order to meet Christ there as both Himself and his Angel had told them Mark 16.7 and were come the first Day 's Journey towards it as far as Emmaus and though it was night-time and themselves both weary and hungry yet up they must get and return back to Jerusalem so foot it by the same footsteps in the Dark they had newly footed over in the Day-light According to this Resolve they renounce their present Repast and their Rest by Night not sparing themselves to do good unto their Disconsolate Fellow-Disciples A good man's heart is where his work lies he cannot think that he lives only to eat but he eats only to live and to do his work as being no Belly-God c. These two as the Lepers 2 Kings 7.9 durst not tarry till the Morning-light lest some mischief should befal them for lingring in a time of good Tidings They were restless till they told it to their Brethren whose hearts were almost broken for the loss of their Lord Mark 16.10 Therefore the good Women were bid to go quickly Matth. 28.7 to bind up their nigh-broken hearts with these Joyful Tidings So here these two Disciples must not now loiter about sitting still at Supper to fill their own Bellies but be gone quickly taking each of them a piece of the blest and broken Bread in their hand as may be supposed and trudge away in post-haste for their Master his Majesty's service late though it was and though they were like to want in their Return that Chariot They had in their Day's-Journey thither Comes pro vehiculo est optimum solatium fodalitium Christ had been their Companion all the day whose sweet company and conference wherewith he entertained them all along the Journey sweetned every Footstep to them and made their Travel no trouble and indeed how could they wander out of the right way to Emmaus while their Guide and Conduct was he who is the way truth and life John 14.6 the way to walk in the truth to walk by and the life to walk with So that they could neither wander nor be weary But now the dark night was come and the light of the day was gone and not only so but their Lord who is the light of the World was gone too yet must they haste haste haste back to the Disconsolate
then in confirming it by a proof of their senses in beholding and handling him v. 39.40 2. By deeds in his eating with them v. 4â— 43 Which a Phantasm or Spectrum doth not for eating is a real demonstration of a corporal Life Then Christ farther demonstrates the Truth of his Resurrection by the Testimonies of the Prophets which be first alledged ver 44. And then explaineth ver 45 46. After this he Instituteth a Gospel ministry ver 47 48. Promiseth the Holy Spirit to attend it and commands Obedience ver 49. N.B. But John's method differs from Luke's thus He relates the time place and manner of this Fifth Appearance to the Ten Thomas being absent John â—0 19 then gives he us Christ's sayings to wit that customary form of Salvtation Peace be unto you which he Repeateth twice ver 19 21. Then his Doings to wit 1. An Oâ—â—â—â— Demonstration of his Resurrection ver 20. And 2. An Institution of the Ecclesiasrical ministry Declaring both in what manner and with what ceremonâ—es it was done ver 21 and also why and to what end ver 22.23 Then doth he shew the events and effects of this Apparition in those Disciples that were present to wit great Joy when they were now assured that it was verily their Lord and no other Body ver 20. But in Thomas only it had a contrary effect to wit Incredulity the cause whereof was his absence from that Assembly when Christ appeared ver 24. and the greatness whereof is also expressed that he would not be content with a bare beholding him but he impiously and obstinately requireth that he must handle him too c. ver 25. Having drawn this Scheme out of both these Evangelists I come now up to the. N.B. 5th Note that to convince them he was no Spirit he did Eat with them this is mentioned by Luke to be done by him at this time which John passeth by here yet mentioned Christ's Dining with his Disciples afterwards Jo. 21.12 13 This 〈◊〉 Lord did not for any necessity of nourishment no more than did the Angels Gen. 18 8 and 19.3 but ut se Vivum hominem verum esse ostenderet that he might declare hereby to them that he was a true Real and living man This cogent argument Peter presseth as most pungent and convincing that Christ was risen indeed saying We did Eat and Drink with him after his Resurrection Acts 10.41 Though we do not Read of his Drinking at all after he was risen yet do we Read of his Eating Luke 24.43 and and of his Dining John 21.12 Which assuredly was not done without Drinking also because Meat every where comprehends Drink under it as Matthew 15.2 Luke 7. v. 36 c. Therefore there was no need to express it His eating of that Poor provision the Disciples had and handed out to him did cure them of their Unbelief more than their handling his Hands and Feet which they saw and felt pierced through with Nails c. Luke 24.39 40 41 42. Though certainly there might be made a greater doubt how a glorified Body could retain wounds c. To which I shall more amply speak in the next Appearance when Thomas was present as likewise to the Testimonies alledged and explained and to the institution of a Gospel-Ministry c. Together with the Events All which I adiourn from this to a more proper place having inlarged much upon this Head already adding here only N.B. That Christ's Eating here was not done by deluding the Disciples senses as is done by Witchcraft and Diabolical Arts which was far from him who was Truth it self and most contrary to his Holy and Glorious design But we must believe that our Lord here did really take Chew and Swallow the Food yet in such a manner that his Body now glorified Received thereby no natural nourishment c. As in the State and condition of an Animal Life Thus Food could not incorporate with his Body to increase the substance of his flesh for now he had put on the Qualities of a Spiritual and Eternal Life so had no need of any Support from without c. But most probable this Food was Reduced into nothing by a miracle seeing the Act and End of the whole was only to confirm the Disciples by covers sensible demonstration◠〈◊〉 the behalf of his Resurrection N.B. Oh that we could sabâ—widâ— â—â—â—er that Christ hath Appeared to us 〈◊〉 forâ—ondained of God though not to all other people and that we have Eat and Drunk with him c. Act 10.41 This may â—â—â—â—id the Saints 〈◊〉 two ways both at the Lord's Table and at their own daily and common Table If this King of Saints sit at either of these Tables 2d Caâ—â— 2.10 and we sâ—â— the Lord always before us at our right hand as David did Psaâ—â— 6.8 then do we â—â—ed with him and he is with us both in our ordinary and in extrâ—ordinar and Sacrmenâ—â—h 〈◊〉 Tâ—â—â— do we not only Hat and Drink a natural but as 't was said of a Grave Divine even Eternal Life too 〈◊〉 CHAP. XXXIX Of Christ's Sixth Appearance THE Sixth Appearance of Christ This is 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 only John 〈…〉 at large Wherein we have the 〈…〉 The 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 was made not only the Ten as the former was whâ—â— Thomas was obsenâ—â—y 〈◊〉 But â—o all the Blâ—ven as the Chorus or Colledge of Apostâ—â—â— was called 〈◊〉 Maithiâ—â— was Chosen in Judas Room Acts 1.26 when 〈◊〉 was presenâ— now with 〈◊〉 Ten. some do suppose the chuse of Thomas's Abseâ—â—â— upon 〈◊〉 very Day of 〈◊〉 Resurrection was either 1 Because he probably 〈…〉 business that 〈◊〉 necessitate his Absence at that time upon some worthâ—y Caâ—â—â— O◠〈◊〉 As some say Because perhaps he say still lurking and keep close in his â—iding holâ— into which he had reâ—â—ed for seâ—â— of the Jewâ— â—hen all the Disciples like â—â—â—lock of Sheep scattered with a Dog forsook Christ and â—ed into pâ—â—â—â— plaâ—ed forâ—â—â—â—conding Mark 14.50 And when all the other Tâ—â— crept out at the News of their Lord's Resurrection by the Holy Women's report and Adventured to meet together yet Thomas who had the deepeâ—t 〈…〉 of Incredulity lay longest obscure and came slowest to the Convention Oâ— 3. Because â—â—ough he might come to the convention and be present at the beginning of thei◠〈…〉 conference 〈◊〉 't is said Luke 14.33 that the two Disciples 〈◊〉 from Dâ—â—â—ans found all the Eleven together and might â—ear the good Women's Relation of the Lord 's being risen c. Yet did he then withdraw himself from his fellows as being more obstinate than the Rest and more wilful in his Unbelief for though his fellows at the first did look upon those Tidings to be only Women's talk and Idle tales Luke 24.11 yet were they all sooner convinced than he would be of the Truth N.B. God per mitting this that we through his doubting might â—e better confirmed c. Or 4. Because he was now upon
wicked person nor to Pilute or Herod c. nor had they tydings sent them from the Angel thereof though that probably might have convinced them of their sin but they had rendred themselves incapable of those Priviledges both were done to his Disciples who wereprâ—e ordained for Witnesses Acts 10.41 The Benefits of the Church belong only to the Church Note Those Seven Apostles here must have the Blessing of Christ's Seventh Appearance though they had seen him before that they might be more firmly confirmed in this great Truth which 1. Demonstrated the Divine Nature of Christ Acts 2.24 and Rom. 1.4 which 2. Makes good all the Benefits of his Passion Though David saith What profit is there in my Blood Psal 30.9 Yet is there great profit in Christ's Blood improved by his Resurrection Note Which 3. Is the ground of our Resurrection 1 Pet. 1.3 Christ is Feoffee in Trust for us 〈◊〉 his Resurrection was not only Personal of a particular Man but it was of a publick Person in our Names whom he represented therefore is he call'd the first fruits of the Resurrection as before which sanctifies the whole Crop Ours are but the Appendices of his Resurrection As all Joseph's Brethren shared in his Advancement and all the Jews in Morâ—â—câ—â—'s 〈◊〉 â—odo we sâ—â—â—re in his Note And which 4. Is a special and powerful means to recover us from the swoonings of our Faith both as to our selves in particular and as to the Church ingeneral 1. As to our selves Rom. 6.8 11. There is a spiritual power in Christ's Death to kill sin and in his Resurrection to quicken Grace Faith is the Heliâ—â—rope of Sun-flower that follows this Sun of Righteousness If he be absent Faith saints fails flagged and flattens presently Jacob's Soul was sad for seventeen years at the Joss of Joseph but when he heard that Joseph was alive this revived him Gen. 45 2â— 27. and so should it revive us that our Jesus is alive c. Rev. 1.8 18. And as 2. To the Church could Elisha raise to life a dead Child and cannot Christ do as much for a dead Church Note No wonder then if a Truth of so great importance were so greatly proved by so many Appearances and that to one and the same persons at several times c. The Angel that said to the Women Go quickly and tell his Disciples that he is Risen c. began with this demonstration for proving the Touth of his Resurrection Behold he goeth before you into Galilce Matth. 28.7 and Mark 16.7 The Angel Argues a signo ad signatum from the sign to the thing signified If he be going and upon his Journey then it necessarily follows he must be Risen indeed And thus was this Truth of such vast consequence carried on and continually demonstrated by manifold manifestations of himself to his Disciples both before this and now and after this also So that there might he left no room of doubting thereof in any one of these that were to be the appointed Witnesses c. And sure I am Thomas had need of this for his fuller confirmation and so had Peter to whom Christ had something of great weight to say verse 15 16 17 c. The 4th grand Remark is the occusion which our Lord took for manifesting himself to those Seven to whom he had taken several occasions to shew himself before this The first Adam died and we hear no more of him Job saith If a mas die shall the live again Job 14.14 no surely not till the Resurrection day But so it was not with the second Adam 't is true indeed he died but he lived again Rev. 1.8 18. And we hear of him again and again This is the seventh time of tidings that he was alive the occasion whereof was this Peter said to the other six I go a fishing John 21.3 They all comply to the motion and concur with him here was concord in one work which made them more capable of Christ's company Note But the Question is Whether the work they are agreed in were good if not agreement in Evil is rather Conspiracy than Concord and this is the more doubted 1. Because Christ had called them to leave their Fishing-Trade and to become Fishers of Men Mark 1.17 And 2. Because Christ had told them He that putteth his hand to the plough must not look back Luke 9.62 Answ 1. This Fishing work was no unlawful or dishonest Imploy but well reputed of among the Jews It had been an unlawful looking back indeed had Matthew returned to his work of a Publican Mary Magdalen to her former Lasciviousness c. But this catching of Fish was a work lawful in its own nature Answ 2. They had now nothing else to do for though they were made Fishers of Men yet were they not yet sent out nor yet furnished with the extraordinary Gifts of the Spirit to inable them for the Publick Ministry Answ 3. They had now no other way for supplying their own wants having lost their Lord who had hitherto made provision for them As they were Tania mont yet forbid to Preach by being bid to tarry till the Spirit came So they were forbid to be idle They that will not labour either in the sweat of the brow or brain shall not eat Thus Paul sometimes wrought to supply his present necessities 2 Thes 3.8 10. All these Seven therefore went on fishing with a good mind and fished all the night but with bad success for they could catch nothing This was the providential occasion Christ takes to make himself both the better known and the more welcome to them for had they caught any thing his presence and power in the ensuing Miracle of the sudden and so plentiful success had not been so perspicuously and plainly evident Beside it teacheth Note That man's diligence as Solomon saith Prov. 10.4 with 22. without God's blessing is insignificant and unsuccessful All the labour and toil of Man is vain unless God bless it with success Psal 127.1 2. Gen. 11.7 8. Hag. 1.6 9. Unless God stop the hole of the Bag at the bottom with his blessing let Men labour never so hard all runs out Deut. 28.13 c. Were we not thus exercised we should neither beg God's Assistance nor acknowledge his Blessing Note Thus it had been once before They had toiled all night and caught nothing Luke 5.5 Where Christ paid them plentifully for his fare in his use of their Ship No Man shall lose by him And though the Net-brake there yet the Fishes got not out which doubled the Miracle of their plentiful Draught The 5th grand Remark is the manner of Christ's manifestation He comes in the Morning as is aforesaid as a Merchant or House keeper to buy their Fish and there fore asks them Sirs have ye taken any thing John 21.4 5. He calls to them as one that wanted some Fish for the use of his Family or Store-house He hereby causeth them
here commands Timothy to lay hands suddenly on no man 1 Tim. 5.22 Too much open-heartedness and easie credulity is an Argument of folly 'T is a Fool with Solomon that believes every word Prov. 14.15 Fide Diffide be not light of belief We must try those we mean to trust The best that can come of Rashness is Repentance The fourth Remark is Barnabas made way for his Entertainment Acts 9.27 who is supposed to be Saul's Fellow-Pupil under their Tutor Gamaliel so might better know him than others not to be addicted to lying and probably might hear some account of his Conversion because in the dispersion of the Church Acts 8.1 Barnabas also was forced to travel abroad towards Damascus and Arabia c. but especially being a Man full of the Holy Ghost Acts 11.24 as well as a Son of Consolation as his name in Hebrew doth signifie and well qualified to comfort those that might be cast down Acts 4.36 He was stirred up by the Spirit of God to present Saul to the Church and to acquit them of those Jealousies they harboured against Saul which he did by three Arguments 1. Because he had seen the Lord Jesus in the way as he went to persecute the Saints at Damascus 2. Because the Lord had then spoken to him with a strong hand as he did to the Prophet Isa 8.11 and made a mighty and marvelous change upon him turning the stream of Persecuting into Praying and Preaching work in him And 3. Because he had upon this true and thorough change Preached the Gospel boldly and publickly which before he accordingly had persecuted at Damascus and in Arabia that Jesus was the Christ and the true Messiah N.B. Hence learn that in case of Modesty or Bashfulness any good Man such as Barnabas was Acts 11.24 may declare for another in order to Admission of Members into a Church the great work of Grace upon their hearts who are too fearful to declare it themselves This Testimony of Barnabas concerning Saul was fully satisfactory not only to the Church of Believers but also to the Apostles Peter and James Gal. 1.18 who were the two Apostles of the Circumcision and therefore abode in Jerusalem and Judaea while all the other Apostles were at this time gone abroad to lay the Foundadations probably of other Churches in other Countreys Hereupon all suspicion concerning Saul was removed He was now freely and with the Right hand of Fellowship received familiarly conversant with them in his Egress and Regress verse 28. and not only so but he Preached boldly verse 29. as Barnabas had said c. The fifth Remark is Opposition is the evil Ghost that haunts and dogs the Gospel every where and to Preach it powerfully is the high way to contract the ill will of an evil World upon the heads of such Preachers No sooner had Saul made good that Testimony which Barnabas had given of him in Preaching boldly at Jerusalem as he had done at Damascus and in Disputing with the Hellenists on Graecians in Defence of Christ and his Gospel but presently these Antagonists lay in Ambush to take away his life verse 29. N.B. If it be asked why these men sought to kill Saul rather than Peter James Barnabas or any other that was now at Jerusalem c. the Answer is because Saul himself was an Hellenist though born of Jewish Parents yet in the Graecian Countrey to wit in Cilicia at Tarsus Acts 21.39 and once one of these Adversaries own Colledge who raised that bloody Persecution against Stephen Acts 6.1 9. whom then Saul prompted on to that Persecution c. but now he being turned Christian and desirous to give an Antidote to them unto whom he had formerly given Poison indeavouring to save their Souls by his Apostolical Office which he had helped to destroy This inraged them they looking upon him as an Apostate from them and no Apostle to them then did they seek his death having first given out as Epiphanius testifies that he turned his back on the Jewish Religion meerly out of a pang of Discontent because he could not obtain to Wife the High-Priest's Daughter N.B. Thus they learnt of their Father the Devil first to be Lyars and then Murderers John 8 44. They according to the Proverb designing to kill a Dog make the World believe first that he was mad And thus the Jews at Jerusalem were not one Button better than those at Damascus neither Barrel was better Herring Both in both places laid siege for Saul's life He that with those Hellenist Jews had contrived the stoning of Stephen finds this place too hot for him to stay in more than fifteen days or two weeks but is forced by his former Com-Rogues to flie for his own life N.B. Hereby was verified to him the truth of Christ's words concerning him how great things he must suffer for my Name 's sake Acts. 9.16 And indeed scarce ever were so many sufferings heaped up upon one Man as himself reckons them 2 Cor. 11.23 c. both through the hatred of his own Countrey-men the Jews and the Fury of the blind Gentiles he suffered as much sever he caused others to suffer yet the Lord delivered him out of all his sufferings till his work was done according to that precious promise Psal 34.19 N.B. Here also the Brethren were instrumental in Christ's hand to work Saul's second Deliverance at Jerusalem as they had been at Damascus Acts 9.25 in his first for 't is said verse 30. when they knew how the Hellenists sought to slay Saul they gave him a lift out of their way by bringing him down to Caesarea and sending him forth to Tarsus his own Native Soil where he might Preach the Gospel to his own Countrey-men and where they might hope he would be safer among his own Friends and Relations The sixth Remark is The Rest and Peace of all the Gospel-Churches from former Persecutions as the marvelous issue and upshot of all the premises The Lord most graciously grants to his Church Militant a time of Peace as well as a time of Persecution He will not chide nor contend for ever lest the spirits of his people fail and the Souls that he hath made Isa 57.16 17 18 19. where is shewed 1. That a little correction satisfies a loving Father for a great fault of his dear Child Psal 103.9 13. 2. When the Child swoons under scourging then our heavenly Father lets the Rod fall down takes up his Child and falls a kissing it to fetch life into it again Jer. 31.18 20. 3. Tho' God see his Children's crosses and could be as cross as they for the hearts of them Psal 18.26 yea tho' those poor blindlings blunder on without fear or wit neither benefited by blows nor humbled by frowns through and for their frowardness laying nothing to heart yet God speaks God-like for it is not after the manner of men to speak so 2 Sam. 7.19 I have seen his ways froward enough yet
good Woman who used to cloath them verse 39. There was no need here of hiring Mourning-Women Jer. 9.17 The fourth Circumstance is Peter's management of this mighty Miracle in raising the Dead which consists of Deeds and Words First Peter's Deeds as it might seem a strange Request in those People to send for Peter upon any such extraordinary account of giving life to the dead which was never done before since Christ's Departure so it might seem no less than presumption in Peter to undertake it But undoubtedly the same God who had appointed this Miracle to be wrought for the advancement of his own glory and the manifest confirmation of the Truth of the Gospel so wrought in the hearts both of the People and of Peter that both the one and the other did what they did out of a particular Faith But more particularly three things Peter did 1. He put all persons forth that would distract him with their immoderate mourning in his praying work as Elisha did 2 Kings 4.33 not only that he might pray without interruption but also to testifie that he might avoid all appearance of ostentation or seeking any vain glory This likely he had learned from his Lord Mark 5.40 2. He kneeled down which recommends to us that Reverential Posture in our praying to the great God as stoned Stephen did Acts 7.59 60. Though he was in a standing posture when he prayed for himself yet kneeled he down when he prayed for his Enemies This is the posture used in most earnest prayer Stephen was more assured of his own Salvation than of his Stoner's Conversion therefore did he more earnestly or at least as much intreat God for it 3. Peter prayed verse 40. to shew that his power of raising the Dead was only precarious and not his own originally He could do nothing of himself therefore betakes he himself to prayer that he might obtain an Ability from above to restore her to life Secondly The Words What Peter said He turning himself to the Body or Carcass and said Tabitha arise This he spake with a full assurance that his prayers were heard and would be actually answered and according to his effectual fervent prayer it was done for she opened her Eyes the evidence of Life restored and sat up seeing Peter The fifth Circumstance is the Witnesses the Saints that sent for him c. Peter helped her with his hand to rise up and he handed her to them perfectly recovered for all God's works as was this Cure are perfect Deut. 32.4 The sixth Circumstance is the Event which redounded more to the benefit of many Souls than to the single Body of this revived Woman for by this Means and Miracle which no man could work but who had God with him many believed in the Lord Acts. 9.41 42. This was the great end hereof more for the good of others was she raised than her own Now old Jonah was not so famous at Joppa as was this Bar-Jonah or Peter for Jonah was but raised out of the Whale's Belly but this Bar-Jonah became a Raiser out of the state of Death who when he had by this Miracle prepared the Ground tarryed many days there to sow the Seed of the Word into this prepared Soil instructing them in the Truth and confirming them in the Faith till Cornelius sent for him verse 43. Acts 9. The third mighty work which Peter did by the help of Christ was his carrying the Gospel over to the Gentiles beginning with Cornelius the Centurion whom with his whole Family he converted to the Christian Religion c. In this wonderful Conversion which was the principal first-fruits of the Gentiles though there were some few gleanings before three parts are mostly remarkable First The Object Secondly The Organ And thirdly The Idea of it in manner form and means First Of the Personal Object it was Cornelius who is described three ways Acts c. 10. His first Character is drawn from his Occupation and Quality he was a Souldier by Calling and of the highest Rank a Commission-Officer as a Centurion having an hundred Souldiers under his command and conduct verse 1. His second Character is taken from his Conversation wherein he is commended both for his Piety which he demonstrated not only by his charitable and plentiful Alms but also by his fervent and frequent Prayers verse 2. and for his Obedience in performing all that God commanded verse 7 8. His third Character is the description of that eminent and extraordinary Priviledge or Divine Vouchsafement wherewith God was pleased to dignifie this Gentile Souldier and Centurion in the first place namely with an Angelical Vision In this Vision of an holy Angel sent from Heaven as God's Embassador to him with the glad Tidings of Salvation to him and his Family and so to the Gentiles in general There be two particulars principally remarkable the first is what Cornelius saw v. 3. wherein is related both when and how he saw this Vision The second is what he heard in it to wit the words that this Angel spake to him which speech hath a twofold tendency 1. 'T is for incouraging the Anxious Soul of this Souldier who had long wanted relieving succour and support verse 4. And 2. 'T is for directing him what to do for his future and fuller settlement verse 5. This is the first part of this Divine Record concerning Cornelius The famous Remarks whereon are these that be genuinely deduced The first is a deduction from the manner of life this personal Object Cornelius led namely the life of a Souldier which is commonly the rudest sort of life yet was it not so in this man Teaching us that all Souldiers are not Rude but some may be Religious and truly so Souldiers indeed are so generally licentious rapacious and of so rude a deportment that a Poet hath scandalized the whole Tribe giving this black Character of them Nulla Fides pietasque Viris qui castra sequuntur No Faith nor Piety can be found in Souldiers that follow Camps 'T is sad when the Sword is seated in such mad-men's hands c. However this Cornelius confuteth that Poet's scandal 'T is true John Baptist look'd upon this sort of men as necessary to be caution'd with his Austere Document Do Violence to no Man c. Luke 3.14 The Austerity of this Preacher the Baptist doth not condemn that course of life to wit the Imploy of a Souldier but only Regulates their Behaviour therein letting them know that all violent shaking of peaceable People by the shoulders as the word signifies Luke 3.14 All insolent plundering to mend their short pay and to spend luxuriously upon themselves with such other extravagant exorbitancies which the Roman Souldiers used in their Garrisons over conquered Countreys and Cities must be left if indeed they would bring forth fruits fit for evidencing the Truth of their Repentance which they heard he Preached to them and so hardly pressed upon them Behold this Souldier who was
his Actions to the Judgment of the Church at Jerusalem giving them an Account of the whole Transactions and the Reasons which moved him to do what he had done The Vision of the Sheet c. are twice at large Recorded in the 10th and 11th chapters that the tendency of it namely to put no difference now betwixt Jew and Gentile seeing the partition-wall was broke down now by Christ might become the more unquestionable a Truth both to Peter who was most especially concerned in it and to others also who now doubted of it and disputed against it In this Defence or Apology there be these Remarks 1. In the general Peter affirmeth that he had done nothing upon his own head but all according to Divine Direction therein 2. More particularly he is his own Compurgator That he had lived hitherto in a strict observation of their Ceremonial Righteousness verse 8. Though he thought himself far from being justified thereby abstaining from all appearances of evil to them 3. That he had not been too facil or easily reclaimed from their Legal Rites therefore the Vision was repeated three several times c. verse 9 10. before his full Regulation herein 4. The Voice of Divine Providence in sending the three Messengers that gave him his Call verse 11. and the Voice of God's Spirit to clear up his Call with a Divine as well as Humane Warrant c. verse 12 13 14. are asserted for their satisfaction 5. He gives an Account how in his Preaching those Gentiles had the pourings out of the Spirit upon them in the like power as had been upon them that were Jews Acts 2. v. 4. upon Pentecost-Day 6. Then he urgeth the Promise of Christ which he then call'd to mind of baptizing Believers with the Holy Ghost first mentioned by the Baptist Matth. 3 11 Mark 1.8 but after approved of by Christ Matth. 11.9 as by the people John 10.41 and expresly spoken also by him Acts 1.5 7. The Conclusion Peter drew from the Premisses seeing God hath made the Gentiles equal in Grace with the Believing Jews what was I to withstand God verse 17. It was God that call'd them to Life and Salvation and not I saith he therefore it was not in my power to deny them Church-Priviledges and Church Communion Here Peter's Argument is very cogent to such a Conclusion N.B. They that have the thing signified which is the greater have right to the Seal signifying which is the lesser And seeing the sanctifying Graces of the Spirit were given by God to those Gentiles he infers hence had he denied them Baptism he would therein have been a Resister of God and a wronger of them in with holding that token from them which God had sent to them 8. This Defence of Peter's was so pungent and convincing that it conquered the Cavillers they were not only silenc'd from gain-saying but satisfied fully that it was of Divine Dispensation to give the Gentiles Repentance unto life verse 18. which can come from no hand but from the Almighty 2 Tim. 2.25 The Objectors hereupon let fall their Monopoly they dreamt of concerning Christ and Grace and being good men they acquiesced as those that contended more for Truth than for Victory Now follows the second Topick for adjusting and justifying the Gentile's Reception into Gospel-Communion This is drawn from the wonderful success of God's Word among the Gentiles at Antioch called Grecians as contra-distinct from the Jews aforementioned v. 19 20. This is more manifest in the following Remarks First The 120 Ministers mentioned Acts 1.15 who were scattered upon Stephen's stoning Acts 8.1 went Preaching up and down first as far as the bounds of Judea extended then some of them stepped farther as far as Phoenice Cyprui and Syria but all this time dealing with the Jews only not being yet perswaded of the Calling of the Gentiles But Peter having now broke the Ice for a freer passage to them at last some of them made bold to go beyond the partition wall to Preach to the Greeks or Gentiles at Antioch Thus all things do work together though not asunder for good Rom. 8.28 even the Persecution that arose about Stephen did the more disseminate the Gospel c. The second Remark is Divine Light must not be let in all at once but by degrees Thus it was not only with those Banished Ministers who for some time confined themselves to teach the Jews only in strange Countreys yet when more Light was let in they venture among the Gentiles as here at Antioch But it was thus also with the Apostolical Church at Jerusalem who made at the first all this great Ruffle afore-mentioned against Peter's conversing with the Gentiles yet now perceiving many Gentiles were converted at Antioch they now send Barnabas that Son of Consolation to confirm and comfort them in Church-Communion verse 21 22 Thirdly The God of all grace makes even a Gentile-City to cry grace grace Zech. 4.7 Manifested in their Professions and in their Practices also with correspondent conversations All this the good man Barnabas saw and rejoyced at it upon Earth as the Angels also rejoyced at it in Heaven Luke 15.7 and no less did all other Believers who are but learning that Angelical Lesson when they heard hereof in Jerusalem and in other places as Caesarea c. Hereupon Barnabas exhorted this great number of Believing Gentiles verse 21. and this much people which were added to the Lord v. 24. that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord verse 23. as Deut. 10.20 and 30.20 that is cleave close to the Profession of the Truth of Christ with their whole heart tide life tide death whatever it cost them and not foil or slubber their Religion with the slur of a rotten unsound and insincere heart The sound heart is neither ashamed of the Gospel nor a shame to the Gospel Psal 119.80 Fourthly The greatest honour in the Kingdom of God and of the Gospel was conferred upon this Gentile-City Antioch now made even above Jerusalem it self Insomuch that Christ's Disciples were first call'd Christians in this City verse 26. to shew that Christ from thence spread forth his Banner which he had first set up as his Standard therein by a people that had his own name put upon them and who would apparently own and follow him in his good ways maugre the malice of Men and Devâ—ls and in despite of all the designs of a beholding and contradicting World against them as is intimated before N. B. As Caesarea the Seat of the Roman Governour of Indea first seeth the Door of Faith opened to the Gentiles in the conversion of Cornelius and his Friends and Family so Antioch the Seat of the Roman Governour of Syria first heareth and beareth the honour of the honourable name of Christian which therefore will be a Renowned City so long as the World lasteth and the Church in the World N.B. This Antioch of old had been call'd Hamath Ezek.
20.1 N.B. In which Chapter his four places of Commoration into which the whole Chapter may be Resolved as he returned to Jerusalem are mentioned The First is Macedonia from verse 1. to 7. The second is Troas from verse 7. to 13. The third is Assos from verse 13. to 17. The fourth is Miletus from verse 17. to the end of the Chapter wherein all the occurencies and Actions of Paul in all these four places while he abode there in Transitu or Journey to Jerusalem are recorded in several Circumstances N.B. These four Resolves into which the whole Chapter is reduced afford us many Remarks as followeth The first Remark is A Minister of Christ may depart from a place and people where his Ministry hath been successful when driven from thence by persecution N.B. Thus Paul departs from Ephesus where God had a great harvest he giving place to wrath and yielding to the fury of Demetrius and his Tumult not so much for his own safety for had he not been hindered he would have thrust in among the Rabble either to have appeased the uproar or at the worst to have dyed Christ's Sacrifice if he might no longer live his Servant Acts 19.30 31. as for the good of the Church that the brethren there might not be farther persecuted for his sake and that elsewhere the Church by his Ministry might be the more inlarged and edified This was Christ's command when persecuted in one City flee to another Matth 10.23 The second Remark is Such places and people as the Ministers of the Gospel have been persecuted from may have an hopeful and happy return of those same Ministers at least to give them a Corroborating and Comforting visit afterwards N.B. Thus Paul returned from Ephesus to Macedonia Acts 20.1 and 1 Cor. 16.5 from whence he had been driven by persecution some five years ago Acts 16.24 37. as he now was driven from Ephesus yet had he this incouragement for his return which unto all such returning Ministers ought to be presupposed that in that interspace he had received so many evidences of the Macedonians faith towards God and pledges of their Tender affections toward himself Phil. 4.15 16. that as one obliged to revisit them and to bestow his Apostolical pains again among them he resolves to Venture himself there at this time also for their further and fuller establishment and proficiency in the Gospel The third Remark is Paul's practice is our pattern in this that at his departure from Ephesus he leaveth Timothy there behind him tho' in a dangerous place and time yet there was a cogent necessity that required such an able substitute because some false teachers were ready to break out there to infect Christ's Flock 1 Tim. 1.3 4. yea Wolves to worry them Acts 20.29 The fourth Remark is God's people under persecution especially if it last long and sharp too stand in need to be strengthened in the faith and truth of the Gospel c. N.B. The Apostle here went over all those parts of Macedonia where he had formerly sowed the seed of God's word both to confirm and to comfort as the word for Exhortation indifferently signifieth those Disciples after so great an opposition and persecution against them They could not but stand in great need of Paul's Cordials that they swouned not by being offended at the Cross of Christ and no better Cordial could be procured than that which Christ delivered wherein he pronounced and promised a special blessing unto all such as are persecuted for Righteousness sake Mat. 5.10 as Peter learnt from his Lord to comfort the persecuted with this Cordial 1 Pet. 3.14 and again 4.14 in both places pronouncing them happy whether it were wounds or but words they suffered so Paul also learnt to do the like The fifth Remark is Long affliction requireth proportionably a long Consolation Here Paul stayed for three Months Acts 20.2 3. to comfort those disconsolate persecuted Grecians Tho' it be said there he came into Greece that is strickly taken for Attica in which province Athens was or for Achaia the chief City where of was Corinth otherwise if Greece be largely taken it contains Macedonia also which was Great Alexander's Countrey called at this day Albany and Subject to the Turks N.B. Which sheweth that God will not be bound to any place and people to tarry with his Gospel among them any longer than not only durante bene-placito during his good pleasure but also quam din se benè gesserint so long as they behave themselves well and do walk worthy of it Alterius perditio nostra fiat Cautio it concerns us to take caution at their and others desolation least we have not an Interpreter a Comforter left us for 3 months together The sixth Remark is 'T is high presumption and no better than a plain tempting of God to run headlong upon evident and eminent dangers and not to improve all the best and lawful means we can to prevent and decline them as Paul did here Acts 20.3 N.B. The cursed Jews when they could not prevail against him by open violence then they contrived secret plots and treachery against him they laid wait for him in his passage not so much as some say like Robbers upon the High way to rob him of these Collections money which he carried with him for the poor Saints at Jerusalem but most likely like murderers designed to take away his life because they hated him with a deadly hatred for his Zeal in the Gospel but God giving him knowledge of it he avoided them by turning another way The seventh Remark is The truth of Saint-ship is evidenced by Action while Paul ftayed at Philippi among his most dear Macedonians N.B. He was doing there as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verse 3. signifies he was in continual action As the life natural consists in Action so doth the life Spiritual By these things we live saith Hezekiah Isa 38.16 N.B. And upon this account one man may live more in a month than another in many years In this sence must the Sage Sentence of the Heathen Seneca be taken Saying quamvis vitae paucos fecerimus dies although we have acted but a few days Epist 67. And that better saying of the Ancient Father multos annos in mundo fui sed paucos vixi I have been many years in the world almost fourscore years but I have lived but a few of those years for I was dead in sin the most of them before I began to live and to do for God The renewing Spirit is an active lively thing c. Thus much of Paul's first Commoration in Macedonia Now come we to his second Commoration at Troas in Asia as the other in Greece The Remarks from this second are The first Remark is Paul becomes all things to all men yet would not become sin to any man To the Jews he became a Jew 1 Cor. 9.20 as Acts 18.21 with 18. and 21 24 and 26
both for their safety hitherto and for present sustenance c. The eleventh Remark is How willing are men in distress to part with all things for preserving their lives which yet are but short and mingled with misery Job 14 1.2 These sea-faring men are found here three times lightening their ship of her lading as 1. Verse 18. The merchandize is cast over board there 2. Verse 19. All the ships furniture for either ornament or munition and defence c. is heaved over also to make her draw less water for fear of rocks and quick-sands And now 3. Ver. 38. goes over-board the very wheat they had provided for their daily bread being come to the same mind with the Philosopher in the like case who resolvedly cryed in the same Act better our goods perish for us than with us of heaving all over into the sea N.B. What a wonderful work of God was here upon the hearts of those poor Pagans thus to venture their lives merely upon the credit of Paul the prisoner's persuasions They parted with all they had to live upon only upon his word that they should want wheat no more in the ship The twelfth Remark is God's delivering power is most gloriously manifest in the most deplorable extremities as here 1. In their desperate running the ship a shore hoping to save their lives verse 39.40 Through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdom of God Acts 14.22 and 2. Tim. 3.12 Paul experienc'd what he taught for a truth here God preserves his people brings all safely off at last but it is by storms and tempests and it may be we must suffer shipwrack of all in this world first and then be delivered as here Oh! let this God be our God for ever and ever Psal 48.14 God teaches the mariner his Art as well as the husband man his Isa 28.26 and all men theirs 2. In running a ground where two seas met that broke the ship Ver. 41. Our last encounter at death will be sharpest as theirs was here at shore 3. In counselling to take away his life for whose sake theirs were saved verse 4.2 This is the common lot of Christ's ministers who look not for their rewards below Luke 14.14 4. In putting it into the centurion's heart to defeat that barbarity and to save him for whose sake himself was saved verse 43. 5 In Gods performing his promise to a Tittle they all were saved even the souldiers that make it a play to kill men 2. Sam. 2.14 Verse 44. Thus God's goodness overcomes man's badness reserving them for afterward if not led by it to repentance Oh! that men would praise God Psal 107.15 for his goodness none can deliver after this manner Daniel 3.29 per Angusta ad Augusta God brings through misery to felicity CHAP. XXVIII Paul at Malta and Rome THIS Chapter Resolves it self into two general Heads first Paul's abode at Malta And secondly his passing on to Rome In the first is Represented the Transactions of Paul in the Island Malta which are three-fold 1. His Entertainment there both by the Inhabitants in general both at his coming among them verse 2. and at his departing from them verse 10. who shewed him and his ship-wrack'd Companions no small kindness And by Publius in special the Governour of the Island verse 7. 2. His Eminent Danger of being stung to death by a Viper out of the Sticks laid on the fire to warm and dry them verse 3. Which venemous beast he shook from off his hand without harm into the fire verse 5. as the Danger made the people defective in their undervaluing the Apostle verse 4. So his deliverance from the danger transported them to become as much excessive in their over-valuing Paul verse 6. Then 3. The miraculous Cures Paul wrought there both upon the Governour 's Father verse 8. and upon many of the sick people v. 9 c. The 2d general Head contains in it 1st The Terminus a quo or place from whence Paul went with the means of his departure verse 11. 2dly The places by which he went namely Syracuse verse 12. and Puteolum verse 13. 3dly The Terminus ad quem or place whither he went namely to Rome verse 14. N.B. Where we have recorded 1st His Entertainment there which was courteous both from the Roman Brethren who kindly met him upon the Road to Rome verse 15. and from the Roman Captain to whom he was committed in whose eyes Paul found favour so that he was a prisoner and no prisoner having much liberty verse 16. Tho' he was a prisoner long verse 30. Then 2dly His Action there 1. In Special with the Jews to the chief of whom He Apologetically Declares his case verse 17 18 19 20. They resent his Apology well yet request his larger Relation concerning that reproached Christianity ver 21 22. This was done at the time and place appointed by the Chief of them to a greater Auditory of Jews verse 23. but with various effects verse 24 29. some believing and others not This gave occasion to the Apostle to rebuke them sharply for their affected ignorance and to threaten them with utter rejection verse 25 26 27 28. into whose stead saith he God would call in the Gentiles Then 2. In general preaching to all Comers in his own hired house without disturbance for two whole years even in Rome-Heathen verse 30.31 Now follow the Remarks from these afore-said in order The first Remark is What God doth truly fore-tell shall Assuredly be fulfilled God had foretold by Paul that they should after shipwrack be cast upon a certain Island Acts 27. v. 22.26 which was now fulfilled Acts 28.1 being before by Paul given as a sign unto the Ship men to evidence the truth of all he had told them that when it came to pass they might be the more induced to believe the rest of his Religious discourse to them N.B. And this effect it probably had upon them that finding Paul's fore-tellings fulfilled when cast upon the Island they saved him who foretold of that truth from being killed by the Soldiers Acts 27 42. and the fulfilling hereof was a wonderful work of God for it was the Seamens choice to fall in here seeing 1. The Ships eye in that hideous storm could not face the wind as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies but they were forced to let her drive and run a drift to the leeward whether the wind would drive her Acts 27.15 And 2. 'T is said expresly that when they were driven on ground the Seamen knew not what land it was verse 39. nor where they were probably wanting those Sea charts common now in Navigation but God knew it and thus ordered it for both winds and Seas obey him to fulsil what Paul had fore-told The second Remark is The humanity of those Heathens to those who had suffered Shipwrack may rise up in Judgment and condemn the inhumanity of many called Christians toward such under the same sad
the Heavens passing away with a noise the Elements melting with heat the Earth burnt up c. 2 Pet. 3. v. 10 11. Such as the Destruction of the whole World is usually expressed by in other Scriptures to alarm the secure c. The fourth Remark is the manner of Peter 's death whereof we have some Scripture-light and of him only of all the Apostles As Peter's second Epistle leaves us some light concerning the time of his death as well as of writing that Epistle to wit a little before his death as is above said which he saith was to be very shortly yet must that phrase of his as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me 2 Pet. 1.14 borrow some light from John 21.18 19 c. to make the manner of his death the more manifest where Christ tells Peter that he should dye a violent kind of death wherein another shall manacle and pinion thee carry thee prisoner where thou wouldst not and that he should follow his Master in the manner of his death in being Crucified at his Martyrdom as Christ had told Peter thou canst not follow me now but thou shalt follow me afterward Joh. 13.36 This our Lord spake signifying by what death Peter should glorifie God John 21.18 19. That Peter's hands should be stretched out and nailed to the Cross as Christ's were-when Crucified c. This must be Peter's Exitus or way of decease and the manner of taking down his Tent and Tabernacle 2 Peter 1.14 15. when Peter heard his own fate he then is too curiously inquisitive to know what was John's destiny ver 20 21. Our Lord checks his curiosity bids him mind his own concern of executing his master's commands and Imitating his Example not troubling himself with the concerns of others yet withall intimating that Peter's death should be before John's who should live till he came to wit in judgment against Jerusalem to destroy it ver 22. John lived to see the holy City destroyed but Peter was crucified a little before N.B. And yet that he might dye in charity to Paul who had as before exposed him to some open shame by his so publickly reproving him He makes a most honourable mention of him as his Beloved Brother c. 2 Pet. 3.15 16. Whereby he declares to all the world upon record that he had nothing the worse thoughts of him for being so sharply rebuked by him but rather loved him the better for his faithfulness according to Solomon's saying Rebuke a wise man and he will love thee Prov. 9.8 c. N.B. This is the last Account and the Total which the sacred Scripture gives us concerning the great Apostle Peter Therefore the life of Peter written by the Jesuit Xaverius that mock Evangelist among the Indians in the Persian Language and translated into Latine by Ludovicus de Dieu is no better than a fardle fraught full of many impudent Fables wherein take only this short tast he telleth how Peter solliciteth the Blessed Virgin to intercede for him with her Son to procure his pardon for his Thrice Denying him As likewise how Christ made Peter and his Successors to be he Lord's Vicars upon Earth and much more ejusdem farinae of the same Bran as appeareth in the Animadversions upon that fabulous lie That Peter was martyr'd by the Jews in Babylonia where he now was is far more probable because such a Frantick Madness was now judiciarily fallen upon them in all parts and a bloody Rage against the Gospel the Devil at this time bestirring himself in the Jews knowing his time was so short N.B. That Peter left no more Writings behind him save those two Epistles makes more against Popery than for to countenance it The third Apostle that still the sacred writ gives some light into their lives is the Apostle Jude on whom take these few Remarks The first is His Name which is prefixed to his Epistle according to the common manner of writting Letters and Epistles in that time Acts 23.26 and all the Apostolical Epistles and not subscribed as our manner is he is called Jude whom Luke calls Judas Luke 6.16 Matthew calls him Lebbeus Matth. 10.3 and Mark Thaddeus Mark 3.18 So that he had three Names Luke calls him the Brother of James the less to distinguish him from Judas Iscariot and from him who was the mover of Sedition Acts 5.37 His Mother seems to be the Wife of Cleopas the blessed Virgin 's Sister John 19.25 Matth. 27.56 compared with Matth. 13.55 In which sense his Brother James is called the Lord's Brother Gal. 1.19 as he calls himself James's Brother Jude verse 1. And such was his humility and his Brother 's also James 1.1 that neither of them writ themselves a Brother or Kins-man of Christ nor yet an Apostle as both Paul and Peter do but both of these Brothers stile themselves only the Servants of Christ which they esteemed more honourable than the most glorious Title in the world Thus David in his Title to Psalm 18. useth the like phrase David the Servant of the Lord which he accounted a greater honour than his being KING of Israel Jude's other Name Lebbeus signifies Hearty being an Humble and Hearty Servant of Christ The second Remark is The length of his Life As Christ promised by way of Equivalency to Peter that he should not be Martyred in the middle of his Life but that he should live God's Servant all that time and that not until he came into his old age he should then dye God's Sacrifice as appeareth in the foregoing discourse of him So it is as apparent that the Lord performed his promise of prolonging the Life of his Kins-man Jude insomuch that he survived and over-lived all the Apostles except John This truth is proved from Jude's own word in his Epistle verse 17. Saying Remember beloved the words which were spoken by the Apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ adding in verse 18. How they told you that there should be Mockers in the last times c. which passages make it plainly appear that Jude wrote his Epistle very late even later than any of either Paul's or Peter's Epistles for those two were the very Apostles especially that gave any such fore-warnings upon Record Acts 20.29 1 Tim. 4.1 2 Tim. 3.1 and 2 Pet. 2.1 2 c. which reference renders it also probable that those Apostles might be dead at Jude's writing his Epistle However he putteth the Christian-Jews in remembrance of those Apostles Sayings which he would not have to dye with them seeing those Mockers of Gospel-Mysteries still lived among them The third Remark is The subject matter of Jude's Epistle which is much like to that of Peter's second Epistle not only in matter but also in style and therefore some Cavillers will not have this Canonical because as they say it was borrowed from Peter's and not dictated by the Holy Ghost N.B. But by the same Rule Obadiah's prophecy may be reputed Apocryphal because 't
is The Divine Consolation wherewith He closes this Oration not loving to set like the Sun sometimes in that dark Cloud of Divine Commination Hereupon Moses here comes to Comfort Israel with a double Cordial The First is God's Promise of the Restitution of Israel ver 36 43. And the Second is his Promise of the Rejection of all their Adversaries against whom He denounceth Corporal and Eternal Punishments ver 40 to 44. whereby He shewed God's Mercy in Christ toward them in the end The Sixth Remark is The Conclusion of this Chap. 32. in which after Moses had moved the People to a diligent Consideration and Application of the Matter of this Song ver 46 47. then God commands him to take a view of the Land of Promise from the Top of Mount Nebo the next Mountain ver 48 49. and then to give up the Ghost there ver 50 51 52. wherein Moses faithfully Commemorates his own Sin as a Vindication of God's Justice against him and for a warning to all People not to disobey God by his Example however he gives this Account of himself that according to the Apostle's Phrase He died in the Faith seeing the Promise afar off and saluted it Heb. 11.13 Now come we to Chapter the thirty third of Deuteronomy which is Moses's last Prophetical Prayer and his Patriarchal Benediction relating to the twelve Tribes of Israel a little time before his Death This consists of three Parts 1. The Prologue 2. The Prediction it self in twelve Particulars And 3. The Epilogue or Conclusion of the whole In the first Part the Prologue Moses maketh Arguments for Captivating the Peoples Attention and Good Will His first Argument is drawn from the Person of God who had conferr'd so many and so great Divine Favours upon them ver 2 3. His second Argument from the Person of Moses Himself in his twofold Office 1. Prophetical in giving them the Law ver 4. 2. Regal as he was King c. so might command their Audience The Remarks upon this first Part the Prologue are First Here beginneth the fifty fourth and last Section or Lecture of the Law call'd in Hebrew Haberahah Haec benedictio this is the Blessing beginning here And much to be marked because the Words of dying Men are living Oracles most pious and ponderous but most of all of this dying Man of God Moses The Second Remark is From the Person of God call'd here a Lover of the People who bestowed three special favours upon them The 1. Was in giving them his Law 2. In providing for them the Brazen Serpent to heal them when stung of the fiery Serpents Thus the fiery Law is a Schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ figured by the Serpent set up while they compassed Mount-Seir Edom's Land Deut. 2.4 5. Numb 21.4 9. And 3. In preparing them for their Possession of the Land of Promise by the Explication of the Law which Moses made to them at this Paran named here and Deut. 1.1 and Hab. 3.3 This teacheth us that after we be brought to Christ by Faith He informs us in his Law by his Spirit and so prepares us for our entring into his Eternal Rest The Third Remark from the Person of Moses is Though Kingly Government as it is described 1 Sam. 8.9 was not set up in Israel yet Moses is call'd King here ver 5. as he was the Supream Magistrate and Chief Governour of Israel their Law-giver and such an Heroick King as reigned over the People by Vertue and Justice not by Force and Violence Not Imperiously saying this I can do by my absolute Power but this is fit for me to do as a Magistrate fearing God c. He had the Heads of the People and the Tribes joyn'd with him here as King Lords and Commons 'T is the best of Governments doubtless where the Beam is kept right and eaven betwixt Soveraignty and Subjection without Tilting the Balance either way The Second Part is the Prediction relating to the twelve Tribes and beginning with Reuben ver 6. The First Remark concerning Reuben is Moses prays for him that though he had finn'd with his Father's Concubine Gen. 35.22 for which he lost his Birth-right Gen. 49.4 and though the Princes of this Tribe rebelled with Korah Numb 16.1 c. yet that Mercy might be shewed him in Christ so as to live to Life Eternal and not die the second Death according to the Chaldee Paraphrast or at least to live before the Lord in this World that he might not be extinguished among the Tribes By Vertue of this Prayer Reuben remained a number to go on Armed before their Brethren against the cursed Canaanites Josh 4.12 The 2d Remark respects Judah v. 7. who was the 4th Brother yet is blest in the 2d place for the honour of the Kingdom which was to be in this Tribe by David c. and out of which the Messiah was to spring Moses prays that God would hear the Prayers of Judah when he fought the Lord's Battels pressing the Lord that he would turn his promises into performances as was oft done in David's and his Successor's days and Moses prays that Judah's hands may be sufficient for him and that God would be an help to him to shew that Man's sufficiency is of God The 3d Remark concerns Simeon whose Name is not mentioned in this Patriarchal Benediction because 1st He lost his Honour by his Cruelty upon Shechem Gen. 49.5 7 c. 2dly By the Corporal and Spiritual Fornication of his Posterity in Zimri c. Numb 25. Therefore was this Tribe lessened from 59 Thousand at the first Muster Numb 1. to 22 Thousand at the last Muster Numb 26.14 But the Rabbins not willing to have Simeon altogether omitted do join him with Judah here in the Blessing because he went forth with that Tribe to fight against the Canaaites Judg. 1.3 and because Simeon's Inheritance lay in the midst of the Inheritance of Judah Josh 19.1 1 Chron. 4.42 So their Expeditions were in common joined together Yet the Greeks in many Copies join Simeon with Reuben in the former Blessing thus Let Reuben live and not die and let Simeon be many in number But this Addition is exploded by the Fathers Some join Simeon's with Levi's Blessing because both of them were scatter'd in Israel Gen. 49.5 7. The 4th Remark respects Levi who had been a Copartner with Simeon both in the Cruelty and in the Curse afore-named yet this Tribe did retrieve it self from both by their Zeal against Idolatry Exod. 32.26 27 c. which Simeon's Tribe did not so comes to be blest by Moses here with a Sacerdotal Dignity ver 8 9 10 11. to whom the Vrim and Thummim Sincerity of Life and Soundness of Doctrine is here promised and which the Levitical Priesthood kept till the Captivity but then lost them Ezr. 2.63 and never recovered them because the Messiah our High-Priest after the Order of Melchisedech was to restore them by the
Light and Truth of the Gospel Till then the Tribe of Levi prayed for and preached to the People And because Ministers shall be sure to have many Enemies for so doing therefore must the People pray for them and if Man will not Right them Light being offensive to sore Eyes c. God himself will by striking through the Loins of those that injure them v. 11. as Korah Dathan and Abiram were done to Levi had no Portion but the Lord who therefore was their Avenger The 5th Remark is the Publick Exercise of Religion promised to Benjamin ver 12. who had been his old Father's Darling Gen. 42.4 and now must become a Darling to God himself Benjamin must live by Levi because the Temple wherein the Levites ministred stood upon Mount Moriah in the Tribe of Benjamin being the Northern Part of Jerusalem though the Southern Part wherein Mount Sion stood belonged to Judah's Tribe The Valley of Millo betwixt those two Hills Mount Sion and Moriah being filled up and made plain by Solomon whereby those two Hills might seem to be but one and the greater communicating its Name to the lesser hereupon God is said Synechdochically to dwell upon Mount Sion Thus Benjamin did dwell betwixt the two Shoulders of the Lord those two Holy Hills from both sides of the Temple as the Head on the Body The 6th Remark is the Blessing of Joseph in both his Sons Ephraim and Manasseh wherein is promised 1. A Confluence of all Creature-comforts from Earth and Heaven ver 13 14 15 16. and 2. A most potent Kingdom ver 17. Moses prays here that the Sun with its warmth and the Moon with its moisture may make Joseph's Land fruitful and that the Messiah who appeared to him in the Bush Exod. 3.2 might both preserve Joshuah of Joseph's Tribe in his Wars as the Bush in the Flame and bless him with a Conquest over Canaan as with the Horn of an Vnicorn c. The 7th and 8th Remarks relate to Zabulon and Issachar both Sons of Leah whom Moses joins together in one Blessing ver 18 19. to whom he promiseth vast Treasures by Sea-Traffick Zabulon was foretold to dwell by the Sea Shore Gen. 49.13 Issachar had also some Cities by the Sea side though they mostly delighted in a quiet Country Life of feeding Sheep and tilling the Ground from whence they sucked in prodigious Profits Both those Tribes shall not forget to return their Praises to God from whom they received all those Profits They shall call the People to the Mount of God The 9th Remark respecteth Gad to whom is promised 1. most renowned Victories ver 20. and 2. a most Reverend Prophet to Spring out of that Tribe to wit Elijah the Thisbite ver 21. who executed the Lord's Vengeance upon Baal's Priests 1 Kings 18. as likewise of a most resolute Prince namely Jehu of this Tribe who furiously poured forth God's Fury upon the Idolatrous House of Ahab c. 2 Kings 9 and 10. Chap. And though this Tribe had their Portion on this side Jordan where their Law-giver Moses had his Lot to die and be buried in yet were they as couragious as any to conquer Canaan for their Brethren Numb 32.23 29 33. 1. Chro. 12.8 and 5.18 to 22. The 10th Remark relateth to Dan to whom Military Prowess is promised ver 22. who is by Jacob called a Serpent Gen. 49.17 for his subtil and secret surprizing of his Adversaries But here by Moses he is likened to a Lion that lurketh in Bashan the Place where Lions were bred and suddenly jumped upon their Prey that passed by So Dan jumped suddenly on Laish Josh 18. The 11th Remark concerneth Naphthali to whom is promised all sorts of Prosperity even to full satisfaction ver 23. For they laying upon the Sea and trading with Tyre Sidon c. could not well want the most contentful Provisions both for quantity and quality more especially coming with the Favour of God to them There the light of God's Favour in Christ appeared Matth. 4.13.16 The 12th and last Remark upon the Tribes is on Asser or Ashur ver 24 25. to whom is promised a plentiful Portion both above Ground for Fruits and under Ground for Metals together with Multitudes of Children This Tribe had now 53 Thousand and four hundred Men of War Numb 26.47 and is farther promised That while their Days lasted their Strength should last also As Moses was lusty in his old Age Deut. 34.7 The third Part of Deut. 33. is the Epilogue or Conclusion wherein Moses gives 1st a graphical Character of the high Praises of the most high God both in his own Nature and Majesty ver 26 27. and in his transcendent loving kindness to his People Israel ver 28. and 2dly shuts up all with a most elegant Epiphonema which is Eucharistical ver 29. Remarks hereon are 1st This Conclusion concerneth all the Tribes of Israel in general unanimously celebrating the Glory of God in his goodness to his Church in the Wilderness they all partaking thereof to their everlasting Happiness Jeshurun the Chaldee explains it Israel and the Greek translates it Beloved Or it comes of Jashar Hebr. Righteous for they were beloved of God and righteous in his Eyes Yet soon they lost their Uprightness and kicked against God like a Shar Hebr. Bullock or young Mule qui matrem suis regratulatur calcibus that kicks his Dam after he hath suck'd her Dugs Deut. 32.15 The 2d Remark is God was an All-sufficient Succour to Israel while they retained their Uprightness God riding upon the Heavens ver 26. was an evidence of Triumph 2 Sam. 22.11 Hab. 3.8 Revel 6.2 and 19.11 16. having all the Celestial Creatures for his Cavalry or Horsemen and all the Terrestrial for his Infantry or Footmen What Foe can stand before him and his c. The third Remark is the Safety of the Church under such a Protector the Ancient of Days is their Refuge ver 27. Their Protection is both above and below them a Child of God cannot fall so far as to fall below the everlasting Arms of God Cant. 2.6 much less can all his Children Christ destroyeth the Devil that hath the Power of Death Heb. 2.14 and with him all their Enemies are destroyed The fourth Remark is God's Church is a People separated from the World that lays in Wickedness 1 Joh. 5.19 They dwell alone ver 28. Numb 23.9 they mingle not with the Heathen nor meddle with their Worship or Manners Esth 3.8 being a peculiar Treasure to God Exod. 19.5 Tit. 2.14 having a better Fountain to feed on than the broken Cisterns of the World No Foe shall Usurp their place The fifth and last Remark from the Epiphonema is God's People are the World's Paragons None-such ver 29. such as the World is not worthy of Heb. 11.38 in their having Ossensive as well as Defensive Armour whereby they pull down the strong holds of Satan 2 Cor. 10.4 5. As 't is God's Glory to tread
page  2 13  138 Amos chap. verse Vol. 4. page  3 2  242 Obad. chap. verse Vol. 4. page   21  422 Jonah chap. verse Vol. 4. page  4 2  138 Micah chap. verse Vol. 4. page  2 10  198  5 2  16 Hab. chap. verse Vol. 4. page Nah. chap. verse Vol. 4. page Zeph. chap. verse Vol. 4. page  1 15  241 Hagg. chap. verse Vol. 4. page  2 6 7  243 Zech. chap. verse Vol. 4. page  1 16 17  515  3 3  422  4 6  519  9 9  515  11 6  219  12 10  205  13 7  309 Mal. chap. verse Vol. 4. page  2 7  210  4 2  32 The New Testament MATTHEW CHap. verse Vol. 4. page 1 23 12 2 1 16   25 26 3 4  29 30 4  31 32 8 17 7 8  45   55 13 45 46 9 20  159 21  172 22  173 24  175 25  176 to 188 26  188 to 216 27  217 to 256 28  257 to 280 Mark chap. verse Vol. 4. page Luke chap. verse Vol. 4. page  1 1 1   34 35 8  2 23 17  1  from 7 to 13  2  13 to 20  3  20 to 34  4  34  6  50  7  56  9  41  10  111 to 123  14  123 124  15  125 to 148  16  149 to 158 John chap. verse Vol. 4. page  1 4 1 to 7  2  37  3  38  4  43  5  47  11  159 to 167  12  167 to 171  13 15 2  18  188 to 216  19  217 c.  20  281 c.  21  307 to 322 Acts chap. verse Vol. 4. page  1  322 to 336  2  336 to 340  3  340 to 342  4  342 to 345  5  345 to 351  6 7  351 to 357  8  357 to 364  9  364 to 382  10  382 to 386  11  386 to 396  12  396 to 403  13  403 to 412  14  412 to 415  15  415 to 419  16  419 to 429  17  429 to 437  18  437 to 442  19  442 to 450  20  450 to 458  21 22  458 to 468  23 24 25 26  468 to 484  27 28  484 to 496 Rom. chap. verse Vol. 4. page  1 24 28 413  4 20 21 513  5 5 336  8 19 23  13 13 141  15 30 192 1 Cor. chap. verse Vol. 4. page  1 26 439  4 7 330  6 19 37  10 13 348  13 13 224  15 43 215 2 Cor. chap. verse Vol. 4. page  5 1 37  6 1 422  7 5 441  8 9 43  10 18 222  12 1 416 Gal. chap. verse Vol. 4. page  1 4 329 Gal. chap. verse Vol. 4. page  2 20 306  5 12 415  6 1 508 Ephes chap. verse Vol. 4. page  1 19 56  3 17 37  4 22 117  5 7 11 445  6 21 498 Phil. chap. verse Vol. 4. page  1 1 7 13 498  2 25 26 498  3 13 5   19 50 Col. chap. verse Vol. 4. page  1 18 271  2 9 37  3 11 415  4 14 42 1 Thes chap. verse Vol. 4. page  1 6 7 8 431  2 15 430  4 13 57  4 16 509 2 Thes chap. verse Vol. 4. page  2 16 513  3 8 439 1 Tim. chap. verse Vol. 4. page  2 11 12 443  3 16 257  4 1 505  5 12 508  6 2 43 2 Tim. chap. verse Vol. 4. page  1 5 6 420  2 12 210  3 15 420  4 11 42 Titus chap. verse Vol. 4. page  1 2 432  3 10 445 Phile. chap. verse Vol. 4. page   22 500 Heb. chap. verse Vol. 4. page  2 17 43  4 15 43  5 2 43  7 3 9  9 2 37  11 8 13 513 James chap. verse Vol. 4. page  2 19 501  4  501  5 8 9 501 1 Pet. chap. verse Vol. 4 page  1 12 18  2 9 3   24 192  3 1 2 3 217   19 257  4 7 12 504  5 6 205 2 Pet. chap. verse Vol. 4. page  1 14 504  2 1 2 505  3 16 6 1 John chap. verse Vol. 4. page 2 John chap. verse Vol. 4. page   12 485 3 John chap. verse Vol. 4. page Jude chap. verse Vol. 4. page   1 17 505   4 5 6 506   7 8 9 c. 507 Rev. chap. verse Vol. 4. page  1 9 509  6 11 521  9 11 424  11 15 17 510  12 10 330 511  13 8 250  14 4 12  19 6 511  20 2 3 c. 511 THE History and Mystery Of the Most Illustrious LIFE of CHRIST CHAP. I. A Praeliminary Discourse upon the Life of Christ in General whose Life is call'd the Light of Men John 1.4 before we treat in particular upon his Conception Birth Circumcision Private Life c. MANY Learned Men both Heathen and Christian Have Undertaken to write the Lives of the great Heroes and Grand Worthies of the World in all Ages Countries and Kingdoms Among Heathen Authors Tacitus and Suetonius c. have written the Lives of the Roman Caesars And others have given their Narratives of the Lives of other Grandees But Brave Plutarch bears the Bell above All in that Heathen Academy for writing the Lives of the Grecian and Roman Sages and Champions in so copious a Volume and in so elegant a style making them Run in parallel lines of correspondency each to other c. Among Christian Authors Eusebius hath writ the Life of Constantine the Great c. And many more have done worthily at Ephrata and been famous at Bethlehem for writing the Lives of the Antient Fathers of the Church c. yet all These are but low Things to the Life of the Lord Jesus the Redeemer of the World The Lives of the Heathen Philosophers are below the Lives of the Christian Fathers but even these and the best mens lives in the World do fall Infinitely short of this Life of Christ which transcends all other beyond a parallel No Christian Plutarch now can Tell Where to find out Christ's parallel The Life of Christ is a life of such transcendency that though
only as before Matth. 10.5 6. to the Jews but also to all Gentile Nations now the Partition Wall being broken down Eph. 2.14 not that they were immediately to go forth for they were to stay till the Spirit came N. B. And Mark joins with Matthew in shewing that Faith and Baptism cannot save without Obedience adding only the Apostle's Credential Letters to wit the miracles done by them a necessary fence for the young Plants of the Gospel N.B. But this Evangelist Mark 's Conclusion makes it more plain that he comprehendeth this last Meeting so then after the Lord had spoken to them c. ver 19 that is all the precepts and promises which he had to deliver during that time to his Apostles concerning the Kingdom of God Acts 1.3 he had nothing now to say but to Seal all with sending the Spirit he was lifted up into Heaven a Blessed resting place after he had been tyred out on Earth taking along with him the earnest of our flesh and sending down the earnest of his Spirit which are two sure gages that our Bodies and Spirits shall meet again at the Resurrection The Spirit came and made the Gospel-Ministry successful attending it with signs verse 20. Mark knew it was most needful for us to know that Appearance mostly which Established a Gospel-Ministry The Third Remark upon this last Appearance is from Luke Chap. 24.47 48 49. where Christ gives out his Commission and Institution of a Gospel Ministry again Defining the Office of Teaching what and whom the Apostles ought to Teach and promiseth to send the Spirit but withal commands them to tarry at Jerusalem till the promised Spirit came upon them which precept is a most pregnant proof that the Evangelist speaks here of Christ's last Appearance for before this they were at liberty to go into Galilee and never till now confined to stay in Jerusalem Whereas they went whither they would before this some to Emmaus others to Galilee c. But now they must tarry here Ten Days more till the day of Pentecost came c. St. Luke goes on here giving us an account how Christ led them out of the City to Bethany ver 50. and there the Disciples had the Lord 's both Benedixit and Valedixit c. He both blessed them as Jacob and Moses did the Patriarchs at their departures and bid them farewell Then did the Disciples return to the City and there put themselves into a posture to receive the Comforter ver 51 52 53. preparing themselves Ten Days for the Spirit 's coming and their Reception of it c. The 4th Remark is from John who likewise gives the like account of the Apostle's Mission into the Ministry and Commission that did impower them for the Remission of sins c. But because he placeth it not upon this last Appearance before his Ascension but upon the last of the Five Appearances upon the very First Day of Christ's Resurrection John 20.19 21 22 23. therefore meet we here with the most obscurity which yet may be cleared by considering 1. That John writing the last of the Four Records only what the other had omitted save where the Contexture of the History required hereupon he saith nothing of Christ's Ascension because both Mark and Luke had left it needless as to him they having spoke largely of it already and why Matthew saith nothing of it too 't is supposed because he wrote his Gospel in Judea where none doubted of it seeing 500. Eye-witnesses thereof put it past all doubt in that Countrey but both Mark and Luke writing to those that lived out of Judea it was more necessary for them to Record his Ascension This Specimen is enough to take off Scruples about such Historical passages that are not alike related by all the Evangelists as to circumstances if it be 2. considered that John mentioneth here the substance of a Gospel Ministry's Institution as to both the mission and commission c. though not the same circumstances of time and place with the other Evangelist which yet he abundantly supplies with other new circustances omitted by the rest as the Lord 's Saluting his Apostles twice with Peace be to you the better to make them Preach the Gospel of Peace As my Father sent me so send I you not to destroy but to save Souls and likewise his breathing upon them as God did upon Adam whereby he became a living Soul And saying Receive ye the Hâ—ly Gâ—â—â—â— â—â—â—maâ—â—â— those make but â—â—d 〈◊〉 heâ— that receive him not first c. By the Divine 〈◊〉 tâ—ings of Christ upon their hâ—â—â—s c. But 3. Suppose it be not the same History yet is it at the least a Material Branch of it as to the power of the Keys in remitting or Revenging Sin as Peter did on Ananias and Saphira Acts 5.5 10. It was a pawn and pledge of that promise of the Father afterwards powr'd out at Pentecost for inabling them to speak with Tongues and to work miracles whereof Thomas though absent at that time was made partaker as well as the power of remitting sin c. Without his being breathed upon with the rest and so was Paul also long after though one born out of due time 1 Cor. 15.8 To whom Christ Appeared from Heaven Acts 9.5 as he had done to Stephen in Heaven Acts 7.55 and as he had done all these Ten times to others while he was on Earth Yea and more such Appearances here might probably be which as John intimates Chap. 20.30 are not written yet enough is to make us believe ver 31. So that it is not at all improbable to say that Christ might Celebrate all the Six first Days that were within the Forty Days after his Resurrection for the fuller establishing it as our Christian Sabbath and these last Four Days may seem little enough to settle his Church and to dispatch so much work as is before mentioned though this be not written as all could not be John 21.25 before his final farewel and disappearance at his Ascension which history begins the Acts of the Apostles to which place I adjourn the Discourse thereon The good Lord help us to be duely prepared for his last and great Appearance at the last day We should be both looking for and hastening unto the coming of our Lord 2 Pet. 3.12 It will be sudden therefore be we always ready Matth. 24.44 c. Having our Loins Girt and Lamps Burning Luke 12.35 Like wise Virgins to meet our Blessed Bridegroom Matth. 25.10 Crying Come Lord Jesus come quickly Rev. 22.20 Amen Δάξα Ï„á¾· Θεῷ The end of the first Part. The Second Part of the New Testament CONTAINING Christ's Ascension and the Lives of all the Apostles CHAP. I. Of the Antecedents of Christ's Ascension NEXT to the most Illustrious Life of our Lord Jesus God man whose life is the light of Men John 1.6 the Lives of the Holy Apostles do succeed whose Lives and Actions had greater lustre and
splendour put upon them than any of the Holy Patriarchs or Prophets of the Old Testament This great Truth our Lord Christ who is Truth it self John 14.6 doth positively affirm saying Amongst them that are born of Women there hath not Risen a greater than John the Baptist notwithstanding he that is least in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he Mat. 11.11 The meaning whereof is this as the Elements the higher they are be so much the purer the Water is more pure than the Earth the Air than Water and the Elementary Fire than the Air so the nearer to Christ's Time the more excellent was the Person this excellency had John the Baptist to be the immediate Harbinger for preparing the way of that great Prince of Peace the Lord Jesus at his first coming so became he beyond all the Antient Patriarchs and former Prophets both in Dignity and Doctrine Yet came he behind the Apostles of Christ not so much in the Dignity of his Office though he wrought no Miracles John 10.41 as Moses Elijah Elisha did before him and as the Apostles did after him as he did come behind them in the perspicuity and clearness of his Doctrine concerning the Messiah whom indeed he saw with his Eyes and pointed him out with his Finger yet declared he nothing of Christ's Sufferings or of his Dying and Rising again all which was revealed to Isaiah for which he is call'd by the Antients the Prophetical Evangelist and Evangelical Prophet or of his Ascending into Heaven c. as the Apostles do Yet farther He that is least in the Kingdom of Heaven includes every godly Gospel Minister to be greater than John the Baptist as to their Doctrine for John only Preached and could declare that Christ was come but the Ministers of the Gospel can Preach Christ as having Died for our sins and that he is Risen again for our Justification Rom. 4.25 Note This is no small comfort to Gospel-Ministers for qualifying those cutting and killing contempts that a wicked World casts upon them They are certainly some Bodies in Heaven whatever Men make of them or scorn them as no Bodies on Earth Such Scorners little consider how the great God hath threatned to strike through the loins of them Deut. 33.11 Note The Prophets of the Old Testament and the Apostles of the New call'd by the Fathers the Ante-nati and the Post-nati because born before or after the Birth of Christ may well be compared to the two Spies who bare that goodly Cluster of Canaan's Grapes upon a long Pole between them Numb 13.23 He that went before must have his back upon the Bunch so could not have such a plain prospect of it as he who followed after and had his face fully upon it Thus Christ this blessed Bunch of Grapes who hath a Cluster of Blessings in him is born betwixt the Believers of both Testaments only they in the Old saw not so much as we do in the New Note The Holy Apostles saith Chrysostom were greater than the greatest Kings of the Earth rendring this Reason Regum Leges saepè sunt abrogata etiam ipsis viventibus at piscatorum illorum etiam ipsis mortuis Ratae fuere Immobiles manebant c. The Laws of earthly Kings are oft Repealed and die while they themselves live but 't is otherwise with the Laws of those Apostles though but poor Fishermen they stand unrepealed for ever because their Laws are not so much theirs as they are the Laws of the Lord of all Acts 10.36 That the Apostles were great Persons is further demonstrated by those Kings and Emperors who out of their kind of Devotion go in Pâ—larimage to visit their Tombs who yet pay not any such Devoir to the Tombs of their own Predecessors The Twelve Apostles were correspondent to the Twelve Patriarchs as Jacob had Twelve Sons whereof one was a beloved Joseph so Jesus had Twelve Disciples whereof one was a beloved John and as the Apostles were Twelve in number so they did answer the Twelve Foundations of the New Jerusalem Jesus chused Twelve for the Apostleship but Judas one of the Twelve proved a Devil and went betimes to the Devil As bad as the World was then so full of Kill Christ's yet was it too good a place for that Traitor to abide in he was soon pack'd off and as Felo de se both went and was sent to his own place that is to Hell and Damnation the proper place of such a Son of Perdition a place of his own providing and which he had purchased with his wages of wickedness mentioned Acts 1.18 with 25. Note There seems some difficulty in Reconciling Matth. 27.5 where 't is said Judas hanged himself to that of Acts 1.18 where 't is said He falling headlong burst asunder in the midst and all his bowels gushed out for want of bowels to his kind and innocent Master We must believe that both were true because the Scripture of truth doth affirm both He was certainly Suffocated or strangled and his bowels gushed out also though the manner how is not determined in sacred writ yet may those two differing Scriptures be thus Reconciled He might be Hanged and the Rope breaking he might fall down and with the fall burst asunder thus both were true Beside The opinion of some is That the Devil strangled him and threw him down a Precipice for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 need not be translated He Hanged himself But he was Suffocated or Strangled which might be done by some disease that caused a Rupture of his Body Or grant He Hanged himself his Body by a just Judgment of God might swell and as the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 His bowels might break forth with a great crack No doubt but the Devil was both in his sin and in his punishment Now there happening a Vacancy by Judas's fall in the Emphatical and Significant Number of Twelve the Colledge and Chorus of the Apostles consisting now only of Eleven Peter James John Andrew Philip Thomas Matthew Bartholomew James the Son of Alphaeus Simon Zelotes and Judas the Brother of James Acts 1.13 This Breach must be made up by ordaining one to stand up in the stead of Judas the Traitor Hereupon Matthias was chosen of God to fill up that Vacancy the Eleven are all named to shew that notwithstanding their former Apostacy in forsaking of Christ c. They were again upon their Repentance Received into their holy Apostleship And as the Glorified Saints do fill up the Room in Heaven which the Apostate Angels foolishly forsake So this Matthias makes up the Breach of the faln Judas so he made up the round number of Twelve again This number Twelve is a number which God seemeth to affect in reference to his Church both in the Old and in the New-Testament The Ancient Church God was pleased to build first upon 12 patriarchs then upon the 12 Tribes of Israel And the Gospel-Church prophecied of